The Yorkshire Water Esholt site is not only great news for the local agricultural community — the process creates 62,000 tonnes of nutrient-rich fertiliser per year — but also for renewable energy across the region.
Consuming two years development time and a whopping £34 million investment, Yorkshire’s first self-powered sewage works site has been unveiled in Bradford.
The Yorkshire Water Esholt site is not only great news for the local agricultural community — the process creates 62,000 tonnes of nutrient-rich fertiliser per year — but also for renewable energy across the region.
The company’s first ‘poo-powered’ site is one of only a handful of operational BioThelys Sludge Treatment Plants across the UK. Creating enough renewable energy to power the 750-acre site, the biogas generated while processing 30,000 tonnes of sludge over 12 months can also be used to provide heat and power for the large site. This subsequently reduces Yorkshire Water’s carbon footprint by 9,000 tonnes and energy costs by £1.3 million — a saving they hope to pass onto the customer.
Yorkshire Water’s CEO Richard Flint expressed it is a massive step for the company, one that will help to keep customers’ bills down:
“The technology being used on this site truly is some of the most cutting edge around and it’s playing a major part in an 80 per cent increase in the amount of renewable energy being generated by Yorkshire Water in the last year.”
The grand opening, which took place on October 3rd, was attended by Bradford Lord Mayor Cllr Mike Gibbons, who praised the state-of-the-art site by defining it as innovative technology. He went on to say: “I’m delighted that the Esholt site is now the first self-powered sewage plant in Yorkshire and is leading the way in the industry with this new technology.”
How it works is waste generated by over 700,000 people in Bradford and Leeds goes through several stages to reduce it down to the sludge from which the renewable energy can be extracted. The BioThelys technology effectively pressure cooks the sludge at 165 degrees, turning it into a soup-like consistency from which the biogas can be captured. This biogas is then fed through pipes and combusted in an engine to generate both electricity and heat, which is then circulated around the large facility.
Engineering specialists Morgan Sindall and Grontmij have undertaken the major project, which is one of the biggest contracts ever awarded by Yorkshire Water. The parties involved in the joint venture are looking forward to a successful partnership and Managing Director for Morgan Sindall’s utility services Simon Smith and Gavin Stonard, Director of Water & Asset Management for Grontmij, said:
“The Morgan Sindall Grontmij joint venture is committed to adopting a sustainable approach on all the projects we deliver for Yorkshire Water.
“We are particularly pleased to have been able to work on this project to achieve such a green and cost-efficient solution to powering the sewage works, which is a prime example of sustainability by design and our value beyond engineering approach.”
Animal lover and speed walker Nikki Champman hails from the North East of England. Deeply passionate about a more conscious way of living, she can often be found exploring the coast with her dog Wolfie or cooking up a vegetarian storm.