ENER-G helps dairy move into greener pastures

A RENEWABLE energy specialist based in Salford is helping a Dorset-based dairy products manufacturer save £150,000 a year by installing a new green technology.

BV Dairy has commissioned ENER-G to devise a component of a ‘liquid anaerobic digestion’ (AD) system which will convert effluent into renewable energy while simultaneously cutting the company’s carbon footprint by more than 65%.

Anaerobic digestion is a well established biological process where micro-organisms that thrive in an oxygen-free environment convert volatile solids into biogas.

When the AD system becomes operational in August, BV Dairy expects to generate more than 75% of the site’s electricity consumption from its liquid waste.

The liquid digester has been designed and built by Cambridge-based Clearfleau while ENER-G is designing, supplying and operating the combined heat and power (CHP) technology that will convert biogas into renewable electricity and heat to fuel the dairy operations.

Excess electricity will be sold back into the National Grid.

The combined heat and power system will be capable of generating 1,539 MW of electricity and 1,685 MW of heat per annum which will dramatically reducing the dairy’s reliance on fossil fuels.

The system is projected to cut the dairy’s carbon emissions by 1,200 tonnes a year which will have the same environmental benefit of planting 120,000 trees.

Established in 1958, BV Dairy currently processes around 35m litres of milk per year, sourced from 35 farms located near its site in Shaftsbury.

The product range includes fresh and cultured dairy products for sale to the UK’s food manufacturers and food service operators.

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