SO21 2QG, Acorn Bioenergy Operations Limited: environmental permit application advertisement - EPR/BP3326SD/A001
Published 12 July 2024
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2024
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Details of the application
The Environment Agency has received a new bespoke application for an environmental permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 from Acorn Bioenergy Operations Limited.
Application number
EPR/BP3326SD/A001
Regulated facility type
Disposal Of > 50 T/D Non-Hazardous Waste (> 100 T/D If Only Ad) Involving Biological Treatment - 5.4 A(1) a) (i)
Acorn Bioenergy Operations Limited ‘ABL’ has applied for a new Installation Environmental Permit for an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, including the use of resultant biogas at the Three Maids AD Plant, located on agricultural land at Three Maids Farm, Three Maids Hill, Winchester, SO21 2QG, (centred on National Grid Reference (NGR): SU 46094 33959).
The proposed installation activity is regulated under Section 5.4 A(1) (b) (i) - Recovery or a mix of recovery and disposal of non-hazardous waste with a treatment capacity exceeding 100 tonnes a day involving biological treatment.
The feedstocks for the AD plant are energy crops primarily maize and whole crop silage, straw and animal manures, supplied by local farms. The AD plant will treat around 94,000 tonnes per year of feedstock. The solid manures are stored in a dedicated Manure reception building fitted with bespoke emissions abatement plant. The liquid manures are stored in a Liquid feedstock tank (400m3). The waste feedstocks are macerated, screened, and mixed with recirculated digestate liquor and process water. The separated liquor and fibre digestate are used as a biofertiliser on nearby farms. Digestate is removed from site either to on farm storage locations or delivered to be spread directly to land for agricultural benefit to meet crop need. The biogas will be upgraded into biomethane which will be transported offsite for injection at a central gas to grid injection point. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO2) from the biogas will be captured and upgraded to 99.9% purity. The treated CO2 is suitable for almost all industrial and commercial applications in the UK. Upgraded CO2 would be liquefied and transported by road to end users.
The operation of the AD plant is fully automated from an on-site central control panel located in the Control Room which monitors information transmitted from field instrumentation around the AD plant. This is known as the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This information can be viewed both on site and remotely to ensure optimisation and safe operation of the anaerobic digestion and associated processes.
Regulated facility address
Three Maids AD Plant
Three Maids Hill
Winchester
SO21 2QG
The application includes:
- the completed application form
- a non-technical summary
- a summary of the management system
- an environmental risk assessment
- proposed operating techniques, including an assessment of best available techniques
- management plans to address any key risks
- modelling and monitoring of any significant emissions to air, land or water
- a report on the condition of the site
- raw material usage and measures for energy efficiency and avoiding waste production
How to view and comment on the application
If you have any comments on the application send these by 09 August 2024.
You can comment:
Online: view and comment on the application using Citizen Space
Via email: pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk
For advice about how to make a representation or if you are unable to make a representation via e-mail, please call 03708 506 506.
The Environment Agency will normally put any comments it receives on the public register. This includes your name but not your personal contact details. Please tell us if you do not want your response to be public.
The privacy notice for permit applicants/operators can be viewed at Privacy Notice