Find out more about Biofuel and how recycling your food waste contributes to helping the environment
What is Biofuel?
Biofuel is the product of recycling food waste, that can then be transformed into biogas, a renewable energy source, and digestate, a nutritious fertiliser. The food waste collected by us from households, offices, restaurants, food processors, supermarkets, and other businesses, is put through a de-packaging pre-treatment. Our process utilises turbo separator technology combined with water injection to maximise the separation of organic materials from packaging. The packaging comes out clean ready for disposal, or further recycling. The organic materials recovered are then liquidised and blended, into a 'porridge like' consistency, otherwise known as biofuel. This is a biofuel optimised for anaerobic digestion at approximately 20% dry matter content.
What is Biofuel?
This biofuel is transported by our Tankers and is then loaded into Anaerobic Digester tanks, in which it is broken down by anaerobic bacteria over time. This usually takes around 40 days, and may change depending on the AD plant. During this breakdown, methane is produced by the activity of the bacteria. This methane is extracted from the digester and is known as biogas. This biogas can be used for electricity, gas to grid, heating, or even as biomethane for transport.
Once this process is complete, a by-product is left behind, called digestate. Digestate is the fibrous material left over from the food waste, which is then removed and spread to agricultural land as a fertiliser.
The Benefits
Biofuel is a renewable energy source, that has multiple outcomes produced from the AD process. Recycling food waste into biofuel also ensures it does not go to landfill, where the methane it produces would be released into the atmosphere, contributing to the detriment of the environment.
Anaerobic digestion and recycling food waste into biofuel is greatly beneficial for all and for the environment, and significantly contributes to the circular economy. The biogas it produces is highly flammable and can be used for electricity, gas and heat for households. It can also be used as a biomethane fuel for transport. By increasing the use of renewable energy, such as biogas, it decreases the need for fossil fuels, that are limited and harmful to the environment.
The Benefits
The digestate it produces is a nutrient-rich substance that can be used as a fertiliser for crops. It contains all the nutrients required for modern farming, including; nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. By substituting artificial fertiliser for this organic fertiliser option, not only is beneficial for crops, but also saves the energy that is used in creating the artificial fertiliser. Digestate is greatly beneficial for lands with low carbon content, as the organic matter in the digestate can build up the humus content in the soil.
The Facts
Here are some facts on why biofuel is a great resource and how it contributes to the circular economy within the UK:
- 23.7% of global electricity came from renewable energy sources, in 2016, mainly from wind, solar, and bioenergy sources.
- The equivalent of a million homes in the UK are now powered by the renewable electricity produced through AD plants.
- Biogas produced through Anaerobic Digestion, has the potential to provide electricity and gas for 30% of households in the UK.
- Biogas and other bioenergy is the second most important renewable energy contribution in the UK, after wing and ahead of solar and hydro.
- In the UK, in mid-2016, there was 617MW of installed biogas capacity in mid-2016.
- The greenhouse effect will have been decreased by 21%, by 2020, because of the use of biogas.
Anaerobic Digestion Process
Take a look at the steps involved in recycling your food waste through Anaerobic Digestion.
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