Working in close collaboration with United Utilities, Royal HaskoningDHV has been awarded funding from the UK Government to deliver its Ephyra® plug-flow sludge digestion technology at Stockport Sludge Treatment Centre in Greater Manchester.
This is the first application of this technology in the UK as a retrofit to a conventional digestion plant and provides a significant step forward in sustainable energy recovery.
Royal HaskoningDHV’s Ephyra technology is expected to increase biogas production by more than 20%. As well as reducing operating costs it will bring the site close to achieving energy neutrality and significantly reduce GHG emissions.
The funding has been awarded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA), part of the Government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). The IEEA is managed by the Carbon Trust with support from Jacobs and Innovate UK KTN, and aims to reduce energy consumption, maximise resource efficiency, and cut greenhouse gas emissions in the industry.
Stockport Sludge Treatment Centre will be the first site in the UK where Royal HaskoningDHV’s Ephyra technology is retrofitted to existing conventional anaerobic digesters. Once operational, the plant will demonstrate best in class sludge digester performance, producing more biogas with less stabilised sludge needing to be recycled to land and reducing downstream methane emissions. By uprating rather than investing in new build, United Utilities also benefits from minimal construction costs and reduced carbon impact.
Tom Lissett, Bioresource and Green Energy Director at United Utilities explains:
“Innovation is critical to make our services as sustainable and cost-effective as possible.
“We’re really pleased to be a partner in this UK government funded IEEA project, recognising the benefits of retrofitting and optimising the performance of existing assets, rather than investing in new build. This is one of a range of exciting projects which will maximise the potential of our bioresources, reduce carbon emissions and support the decarbonisation of energy production in the UK.
“This funding will help us clearly demonstrate the positive impact that Ephyra technology will have in the UK when implemented at scale.”
Paul Lavender, Director Water Utilities UK at Royal HaskoningDHV explains:
“We are delighted to have successfully secured funding from the UK government for our sludge digestion project for United Utilities. This is a positive step for energy efficiency and sustainable wastewater treatment.”
Paul McKinney, Associate Director at the Carbon Trust and programme manager for the IEEA said:
“The IEEA is supporting decarbonisation across a wide range of sectors, and we are excited to be supporting this innovation which will hopefully lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions associated with sludge processing.”
The operational demonstration of the technology is due to begin at the Stockport site by Autumn 2024.
