Waste-to-Energy Plant Cuts Nestlé Factory’s Costs, Carbon

Nestlé’s on-site anaerobic digestion plant is supplying about 8 percent of the factory’s electricity demand and has eliminated its solid waste handling costs one year after commissioning.

The on-site bio-energy plant was designed and built by Clearfleau for Nestlé’s Fawdon confectionery factory, near Newcastle, UK. In addition to the financial benefits, the plant is helping Nestlé reduce its carbon footprint and develop environmentally sustainable manufacturing at Fawdon.

The plant converts 200,000 liters per day of feedstock into renewable energy. This feedstock includes wastewater from the site and 1,200 tonnes of residual biproducts and ingredients per year.

The biogas produced is fueling a combined heat and power engine, which produces 200kW of electricity, used in the confectionery production process. This is about 8 percent of the factory’s power requirements, cutting the annual electricity bill by about £100,000 ($156,473) per year.

In addition, the site has registered for the UK Feed in Tariff, and will receive annual payments of about £250,000 ($391,334) per year.

Previously, production residues from Fawdon, the former Rowntree factory, home to gums, pastilles and Rolo’s, were discharged to sewer or fed to pigs in the locality. Following the installation of the AD plant, all biodegradable production residues are now converted into renewable energy on the factory site.

Other company’s are saving money on electricity and waste management, such as Eaton’s aerospace facility in Titchfield, UK, which has achieved zero waste to landfill through strategies such as recycling and waste-to-energy.