Work starts on £16m plant to turn food waste into energy

Work has started on a £15.6 million anaerobic digestion plant in Dorset, to convert food waste and organic material into renewable energy and bio-fertiliser.

Christchurch-based Eco Sustainable Solutions’ second anaerobic digestion plant will be able to handle more than 50,000 tonnes of food waste a year and produce 60GWhs (Gigawatt hours) of biomethane - equivalent to the energy needs of 5,300 homes.

Leftover food and peelings will be transformed into green gas, which will be fed directly into the grid.

Eco is also converting its fleet of trucks, which will transport waste to and from the plant, from diesel to green gas. The gas will also come from the plant, giving an 85 percent cut in CO2 emissions compared to diesel.

Hurn-based Mildren Construction are the main building contractor for the new plant, which is expected to be up and running by January 2026.

The project will create five jobs.

Some £8.7 million of the funding comes from asset finance provider Lombard, part of the Nat West Group.

Henry Bragginton, Relationship Manager at Lombard, said: “We were very pleased to be able to support the business in putting this into action with its new anaerobic digestion plant.

“It’s exciting to work with a business putting sustainability at its core.”

Eco’s Financial Director Andy Moore said: “We are incredibly grateful to Lombard for their support, including guiding us through a complex process over many months.

“What was particularly impressive was that they were able to leverage the right people within the bank at the right time, making the transaction smooth and hassle-free for us.”

Eco’s existing anaerobic digestion plant at Piddlehinton near Dorchester, has already saved more than 240,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and generated 91,000 MWhs (Megawatt hours) in full green electricity.

Eco recycles more than 230,000 tonnes a year of organic waste from Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, turning it into green energy and high-quality landscape products.

The family-owned business, which has a third site at Weymouth, has an annual turnover of £17 million and employs just under 50 people.