UK’s largest anaerobic digestion plant given green light

The UK's largest anaerobic digestion plant capable of treating 165,000 tonnes of food waste a year and powering 10,800 homes has been given planning permission.


The building, which will generate enough power to run the town of Selby where it’s being built, will have a state of the art pre treatment hall to treat all packaged food waste.

The £20m project will also create 120 new jobs for the town 40 directly and an additional 80 jobs indirectly.

Construction is due to get underway in September and, as long as there are no delays, the plant, built by the Selby Renewable Energy Park, will become operational in 2010.

The plant will be built on eight acres of the former Tate & Lyle Citric Acid Plant in the south of Selby

Business Development Manager for the Selby Renewable Energy Park, Shaun Flynn, said: “Anaerobic Digestion is widely recognised by the government, DEFRA and Friends of the Earth as one of the best solutions for disposing of food waste.

“Everyone wins as the waste is treated in a sealed process reducing the generation of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions; a clean, renewable fuel is produced which can be used to create electricity and heat; and we are returning a green, sustainable fertiliser to the land which will in turn grow our crops for food.

“This project will provide a significant boost to the local economy by creating jobs and will also make available a cheap non fossil fuel heat source that will attract businesses to the area.”

Luke Walsh

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe