News
Alkane Energy’s First Biogas Plant Planning Application
Alkane Energy plc (AIM: ALK), the profitable alternative energy company that owns and operates gas to power generation plants, announces that it has filed its first planning application for the construction of a 'green energy' biogas plant.
Alkane has made a full planning application to Derbyshire County Council for the construction of a 33,000 tonne biogas plant at Whitwell, North Derbyshire. The site is currently run by Alkane as part of its core coal mine methane operations and the intention is to develop the facility once planning permission has been received.
The biogas will be produced via anaerobic digestion, a process which converts organic agriculture waste and energy crops to methane. Alkane has options over the 33,000 tonne of agricultural waste and crops required for a 1.35MW capacity installation. The new biogas plant will use the existing energy plant and infrastructure assets already in place at the site.
The planning application has been supported by noise, odour and other environmental assessments. Anaerobic digestion technology is relatively new in the UK and therefore it is difficult to predict planning timing and whether any additional planning work will be required. Alkane is committed to working with the council and the local community and intends to provide all the electricity and heat generated from the plant to local industry who could use the “green energy” in reducing their own carbon footprint.
Commenting on the application, Neil O’Brien CEO of Alkane said:
“This site has the opportunity to be a significant development for Alkane and to be amongst the first anaerobic digestion plants in the UK. We have been generating electricity on the Whitwell site for several years by exploiting mine based methane. This coal based operation is environmentally friendly, a feature that will be continued by the generation of “green” electricity from waste materials. We will also extend the life of the site by re-using the generation equipment and grid connection. Through this proposed development we will work with both local farmers and industrial users of energy and bring investment and jobs to the area.”
For more information please contact:
Alkane Energy plc
Neil O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer
01623 827927
Page last updated: 11 May 2010
