Member Article

Multi-million investment in green energy in Yorkshire

Leeming Biogas, a joint venture between developer JFS & Associates and Iona Capital is developing the largest food waste ‘gas to grid’ anaerobic digestion plant in North Yorkshire.

The multi-million pound plant is under construction at Leeming Bar and will convert waste from the food production industry into biomethane, which is then injected into Northern Gas Networks’ pipeline in the ‘gas to grid’ process.

The industrial sized plant will generate up to eight million cubic metres annually of biomethane and will contribute to the energy targets set by the Government for 2020, as it will be one of the largest plants in the UK.

The plant will handle up to 80,000 tonnes of waste each year that would otherwise be taken to landfill or spread directly onto the land.

A number of local businesses have already signed up to the plant to provide their food waste and the joint venture team is encouraging other businesses to consider the cost and environmental benefits of sending their waste to the plant in the future.

Matthew Flint, director of JFS & Associates, said: “This project has been two years in the making and the multi-million investment from Iona Capital is vital to enable this plant to benefit the local economy in Leeming Bar as well providing cost and environmental benefits for all the businesses involved.”

In addition to the biomethane being sent to the national grid, the resultant bio fertilizer, which is high in nutrients, will be supplied to land owners in the local area.

Partner in the plant, Iona Capital is keen to get the plant operational and with construction on going the plant is set to open in September 2015.

Mike Dunn, managing director at Iona Capital said: “This project represents a significant investment in the North East and offers environmental and economic benefits to the local community. We are delighted to partner with JFS & Associates on our seventh anaerobic digestion scheme with them.”

Stokesley based JFS & Associates Ltd, currently own and operate six anaerobic digestion plants in the North East and Cumbria with a further six projects currently at the planning stage.

These projects are all joint ventures, which enable business partners to be part of a bespoke anaerobic digestion solution and manage their waste in an environmentally beneficial way.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Thompson .