Vegetable grower, packer and processor Fenmarc will soon be sourcing all its electricity from renewable energy following the successful commissioning of a local anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, located adjacent to its site in March, Cambridgeshire.
The plant owned and operated by Fenmarc sister company Local Generation and opened at the end of last year. It is already generating more than half of the electricity requirement for Fenmarc’s March operation.
It was built following an investment of £6million, funded by shareholders and a grant of £1.425m from the government’s Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The aim of the AD plant is to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill locally by up to 30,000t a year, by diverting packaged and unpackaged food waste generated by retailers and food manufacturers.
Fenmarc’s Mark Taylor said: “We are always seeking to make improvements that help drive efficiencies in the business and that challenge the way we do things. It is important we continue to drive a sustainable business that allows for growth. The partnership with the AD plant is a key part of driving that forward as it is of a significant environmental benefit to Fenmarc. We are helping to reduce local landfill which is far better for the environment and the local community.”
At full capacity the plant will produce enough energy to power itself, the Local Generation offices and Fenmarc’s March operation. Any surplus electricity will be transferred to the National Grid.