Clearfleau and UTS Biogas to collaborate

18 July 2011 

Clearfleau and UTS Biogas to collaborate

Two renewable energy technology companies have announced that they will collaborate on developing the UK market for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and related low carbon technologies.

UTS Biogastechnik GmbH, an affiliate of the Anaergia group of companies, is headquartered in Germany and developing projects all over Europe, including the United Kingdom. Over the past 18 years, UTS has equipped more than 1,500 biogas plants,  175 of which were built turnkey – from small agricultural 100 kW plants up to large 4MW industrial plants. UTS will work with Clearfleau to exploit higher solids technology, particularly in the food processing sector.

Clearfleau is a UK based provider of innovative digestion technology for industrial effluents and is focused on the food, dairy and beverage processing sectors, treating their trade effluents and co-products.  The company is working on a number of food sector projects and built a high-rate plant for BV Dairy in Dorset.  Funds for this project were provided by WRAP, under the Environment Transformation Fund (ETF) to establish a food sector demonstration site. 

Clearfleau offers low solids, closed loop digestion technology for low solids material and UTS systems process higher solids substrates.  Clearfleau is active in the industrial market while the focus for UTS is on agri-businesses, co-products and waste food.  Hence, the opportunity exists to offer each other’s clients tailored solutions from a broad based suite of technologies.   

Craig Chapman, CEO of Clearfleau Limited, commented:

‘Clearfleau is delighted to be collaborating with one of Europe’s leading Anaerobic Digestion technology companies.  Working with the UTS team in the UK, we plan to expand on-site industrial AD, as UK companies seek to defray energy and waste disposal costs.  UTS and Clearfleau expect to make a significant impact on this market’.

Norman Nitzer Head of sales of UTS Biogastechnik GmbH, Germany, commented:

‘We welcome the opportunity to work with Clearfleau. They have started to open up the market for on-site industrial digestion, an approach that ensures that renewable energy generated can be utilised effectively.  UTS is keen to develop sales in a sector that is well understood by Craig Chapman and his team, in the UK and other potential markets’. 

For too long the UK has lagged behind the rest of Europe in developing of renewable energy technologies.  With renewed support from the Government for the AD sector and higher Feed in Tariff rates, there is an opportunity for investment in AD technology to create jobs in the UK. The companies will collaborate to expand the market for innovative AD solutions in the UK and Ireland but will look at the industrial AD market in other countries where UTS is already active.