Greenfinch Biodigester

A pioneering biodigester has been developed in Ludlow which will turn green and household waste into energy and in turn, provide new jobs to local people.

The £2.6m clean centre in Ludlow uses waste diverted from landfill, converting it into heat, green electricity and digestate that can be used as soil conditioner or fertiliser.

The District Council has formed a joint venture with Greenfinch, to build and operate this plant on Coder Road industrial estate.

So how does it work?

The Biodigester receives the Biowaste from South Shropshire’s green wheelie bins, brown mini-bins and compostable sacks and processes it, converting it to biogas, which contains 60% methane, and harnesses this to produce energy in the form of electricity and hot water.

The plant is already running at about 25% of its capacity as the Biowaste is diverted in from an interim processing plant near Leominster where it is also being made into a soil improver for agricultural use.

It is important that the plant only receives specific waste types such as food waste, garden waste and only a minimal amount of cardboard, in order that biogas can be maximised and good quality soil improver produced.