Minimal visual impact with special tank arrangement

The AD plant at Symonds Farm, Risby, near Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk was fully commissioned in early 2012 and generates 1.4 MW of electricity which is sufficient to power 3,000 homes.

Constructed using Agraferm’s technology the AD plant operates currently on a feedstock of maize silage but is designed to take other farm crops and farm wastes. With the addition of a front end hygienization process, the AD plant will be able to take locally arising food wastes.

Agraferm’s technology is cost effective with sufficient retention time of the feedstock (around 30 days) at a high dry matter organic loading rate thanks to patented agitators in smaller size tanks. The plant is also modular so that it can be easily expanded as the demand for electricity increases.

The plant is currently feeding electricity to the National Grid but also makes private wire sales to the adjoining briquetting plant and industrial park, which have financial benefits for the project.

The plant sells a part of the generated heat to local users.