The proposed site for the new anaerobic digestion plant has been chosen following detailed investigation in conjunction with Buckminster Estate, who will be supplying around half of the crop inputs.
Ironstone Energy has selected this site as it best combines access, gas network connection, feedstock supply, low visual impact and a variety of other factors. The plant would support the rural economy by creating jobs, using local services, creating demand for local crops and providing community funding.
A variety of sites were reviewed before selecting the proposed location off Gunby/Sewstern Road, which represents the best balance of all these factors.
Ironstone Energy would support the rural economy by creating jobs, using local services, creating demand for local crops and providing community funding.
The anaerobic digestion plant would be fed by local crops, supporting the local farmers. All of these crops would be grown using sustainable farming techniques improving soil health. Feedstock crops would be integrated into existing agricultural food production rotations.
Buckminster Estate would be supplying around half the feedstock per annum with the remainder coming from local growers within a few miles from the site.
Our proposal includes plans to create a new access track in order to minimise any impact of farming traffic on the immediate local road network.
This site off Gunby/Sewstern Road, also benefits from being close to the existing gas network, which means the gas produced at the plant can easily be injected into the national gas grid.
The new plant would produce enough gas to heat a town roughly the size of Grantham. This replaces the natural gas currently used, which is mostly imported from outside the UK.
Subject to planning permission, the overall site would be around 6 hectares and would be naturally screened around its perimeter by trees, part of which is already formed by established woodland to the west. The proposed access will also incorporate planting along its length and there are plans for off-site planting of hedgerow, trees, and woodland.
The plant would have five tanks comprised of three flat-roof primary digesters and two post digesters. The site would also contain silage clamps to hold around half of the annual crop feedstock required, a fully covered and sealed digestate store and will be designed to capture and retain any run-off and surface water.
Future Biogas would be using the same technology it has applied at 10 previous sites across the east of England.
Plans for this plant includes the ability to capture the naturally occurring by-product, CO₂. The plant would prepare the CO₂ to be transported away from site and permanently stored in either geological formations or embedded in long-lasting products like concrete. This process is called Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).
Anaerobic Digestion, or AD, is a method of creating renewable green energy in the form of biogas. The gas can be created from crops specifically grown for this purpose.
Ironstone Energy would only use energy crops to create biogas, not food waste or manures. The biogas will then be upgraded into biomethane and injected into the UK’s national gas network.
Biomethane production helps the UK reduce its dependence on imported gas, while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The anaerobic digestion takes place when biodegradable material is broken down by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen. During this process, these organic materials are converted to biogas.
Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is the process of capturing and permanently storing CO2 from biomass energy.
The capture and storage of biogenic CO2 on a large scale is relatively new, but companies have been injecting CO2 into water, oil and gas filled formations for almost five decades.
The CO2 by-product created at the proposed Ironstone Energy plant will be fed into one of the CCS (carbon capture and storage) projects being developed around the UK
These projects are being developed to provide a safe and permanent storage option for CO2 removed from the atmosphere. Locking CO2 away like this will help combat climate change.
Once injected into the geological rock formations, the CO2 will remain there for many thousands, if not millions, of years.
The Ironstone Energy plant will capture and store over 20,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
CO2 safely and permanently sequestered for thousands, if not millions of years
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