Green Energy Potential for Cidermakers
April 01 2009
Pomace - the material left after fruit is pressed - could make a contribution to the production of green energy at a plant in Somerset.
Green Spirit Fuels based at Henstridge on the Somerset/Dorset border is currently finalising plans to construct an Anaerobic Digestion facility of up to 8Mw electrical capacity.
This will ultimately be powered by using a proportion of the distillers grains from the associated bioethanol plant, but will also be taking in food processing wastes and other biodegradable material as feedstock.
About 5Mw of the power and all the heat generated will be used by the biorefinery, excess electricity will be fed into the grid as renewable power.
Said John Waltham, Director, Planning & Infrastructure at Green Spirit, and himself a small scale cidermaker: ‘Apple and pear pomace would make a useful, albeit seasonal, feedstock, and we would be happy to talk to any cider producers who wish to consider an end use for pomace that reduces our dependence on fossil fuels.'
Anyone interested should contact John on 01963 365259.
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