2017 SidEnergy biodigester visit

This was a good opportunity for the group to visit the relatively new technology of “anaerobic digestion” to produce gas.  This particular plant is operated by Greener for Life Energy Limited.  Their website contains an explanation of anaerobic digestion technology.

This site uses agricultural waste and some food crops to produce gas, that is then cleaned and put into the gas grid, and therefore used in our homes.  The plant also has a small generator, so that it can produce its own electricity, with waste heat from the generator used in the process and waste driers.

The plant manager and company were very welcoming and keen to show people around, and we spent an hour looking at the equipment and operations.

The items that stuck in my mind was the fact that this plant is producing enough gas for 80,000 houses; therefore much of East Devon (Sidmouth, Honiton, Seaton, etc), on a site of approximately 2 hectares.  We also learnt that a small drum of odorant, added to the gas so that we can smell a leak, was enough for a couple of years !  Yes, it really is that smelly !!