A food waste recycling operator in Lincolnshire, BioteCH4, has been granted planning permission to build a second anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in the region, increasing the capacity to turn unavoidable food waste into green energy and biofertiliser.
The application for a new plant at the Hemswell Cliff Site near Gainsborough was approved by Lincolnshire County Council’s Planning and Regulation Committee on Monday 3 June.
The new 6MW AD plant will include a waste reception building, three digesters, a gas bag and a new access road. It will produce a quantity of green energy that is equivalent to powering over 19,000 homes when fully operational.
AD is the most sustainable process of recycling food waste, into methane-rich biogas and biofertiliser. Last year, BioteCH4 recycled over 600,000 tonnes of food waste across its six sites, transforming it into 300MWh of energy.
Lee Dobinson, Chief Commercial Officer at BioteCH4, said: “We’re pleased to receive planning permission for a new anaerobic digestion plant at our Hemswell Biogas site. The new facility will increase the group’s processing capacity by 200,000 tonnes annually. This will allow us to meet growing demands for food waste recycling, increase green energy outputs, and further strengthen our voice as market leaders.”
Picture: Hemswell Biogas site. Image credit: BioteCH4