Prince of Wales visits first Welsh Local Authority developed anaerobic digestion plant
Caernarfon, Gwynedd (PRWEB UK) 5 July 2013 -- Biogen and Iona Capital have welcomed His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to the Biogen GwyriAD Anaerobic Digestion plant, the first anaerobic digestion plant built specifically under the Welsh Government’s renewable energy policy.
His Royal Highness visited the plant at Llwyn Isaf in Gwynedd, North Wales ahead of the full operations starting at the end of the summer.
His Royal Highness was given a guided tour of the facility designed and built by Biogen especially for Gwynedd Council.
The GwyriAD plant will process 11,500 tonnes of food waste supplied by the Council from local households and businesses together with additional third party food waste. The facility will generate enough electricity to power 700 households a year and will also produce digestate, which is used as a fertiliser in agriculture.
To mark his visit, His Royal Highness has planted an autumn spire rowan tree at the GwyriAD site.
Nick Ross, Iona Capital Director, said: “We are delighted to welcome His Royal Highness at the first anaerobic digestion facility in Wales developed especially for the local authority. The AD industry has the potential to produce significant volumes of sustainable Biogas which will reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels and our carbon footprint.”
Biogen Gwyriad at a glance
Financial Close - July 2012
Construction Started - September 2012
Construction Completed - July 2013
Technology Used - Anaerobic Digestion
Operator - Biogen (UK) Ltd
Household food waste processed p.a. - 11,000 tonnes
Electricity generated p.a. - 3,500 MWhr
Ends.
If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Nick Ross please call Julia Safiullina at 0207 629 9166 or e-mail Julia at jsafiullina(at)ionacapital(dot)co(dot)uk
Please visit our website http://www.ionacapital.co.uk
Picture caption:
1. Jenbacher gas engine (Combined Heat and Power)
2. 2 Digester tanks
3. His Royal Highness, Prince of Wales and John Ibbett (Chairman Biogen) on the tour of the plant
4. Andrew Needham (Commercial Director, Biogen Gwyriad) explains the function of the methane gas holder to His Royal Highness, Prince of Wales
5. HRH Prince of Wales planting an autumn spire rowan tree (native to Wales), protected from the rain by Richard Barker (CEO, Biogen).
Notes to Editors
• Also present at yesterday’s event were: Mike Dunn and Nick Ross from Iona Capital who have invested in the GwyriAD project, Peter Wallach, Cllr Patricia Glasman from the Merseyside Pension Fund, Hazel Nickless and Jasper Roberts from the Welsh Government, Cllr Huw Edwards -Chairman of Gwynedd Council, High Sherriff of Gwynedd, Cllr Robert Elias Jones - Vice Chairman of Clynogg Community Council, nearby landowners and farmers.
• Biogen is responsible for the design, build, ownership and operation of 16 anaerobic digestion plants to date and provides food waste treatment services to a wide range of customers including major food retailers, food producers, and many local authorities across England and Wales.
• The company currently operates 2 food waste anaerobic digestion plants in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire which process a combined total of 89,000 tonnes of food waste. The plants generate enough electricity for over 6,000 homes continually for a year and a valuable fertiliser for farmland.
• For further information on anaerobic digestion visit http://www.biogen.co.uk
• For further information on Biogen Gwyriad please visit http://www.biogen-gwyriad.co.uk
• Iona Capital provides equity and subordinated debt into waste projects which have a renewable element. This may include the production of methane gas for conversion into electricity or heat and the recovery of recyclable materials.
• Iona develops strategic partnerships and uses sector-specific expertise and financial skills to achieve profitable growth for their investors who range from individuals to large local authority pension funds. For more information please see http://www.ionacapital.co.uk
Julia Safiullina, Iona Capital Ltd, http://www.ionacapital.co.uk, 02076299166, [email protected]
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