Ecotricity's first 'vegan' anaerobic digestion plant now officially under construction

Last week, the team at Paul Winter Consulting Ltd. supported our clients - green energy provider Ecotricity - to reveal the exciting and highly-anticipated news that the company’s very first ‘vegan’ anaerobic digestion plant is now officially under construction at a dedicated site near Reading, Berkshire.

As Britain’s greenest energy company, Ecotricity’s overarching mission is to replace fossil fuels with green electricity and green gas; creating this fully ‘vegan’ AD plant that produces gas from grass, whole crop, maize and grain, rather than any animal byproducts and supplying energy to 4,000 homes via the national grid.

What’s more, this gas from grass anaerobic digestion plant will be considered carbon neutral, even having the potential to be carbon negative.

Fed by herbal lays, a mixture of grass & herbs, grown on farmland next to the plant, a national programme of AD plants like this has the potential to contribute £10 billion to the rural economy.

The project, overseen by PWCL’s Project Manager Chris Ives, is planned for completion at the end of the year and will create a number of jobs for individuals living in the area.

On this day, not only did Ecotricity reveal the construction of their first ‘vegan’ AD plant, but the company also revealed an independent report, created by researches at Imperial College London - “Green Gas: The Green Economy under our feet.” - which analyses the potential of green gas to heat over 98% of British homes if made energy efficient.

This report also detailed the possibility and potential for 5,400 green gas mills such as this that could be built in the UK, using nearly 6.5 million hectares of suitable grassland.

We’re delighted to be involved in this unique project, seeing us work with like-minded, knowledgeable contracting partners to bring this Anaerobic Digester to completion.