Winner of Innovation in Design of a Waste Management Facility

Clearfleau scoops award for Innovation in Design of a Waste Management Facility

The Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management were held, yesterday, Thursday 12 May 2011, at the Savoy Hotel, London and against tough competition, Clearfleau and BV Dairy scooped the award for Innovation in Design of a Waste Management Facility.

Clearfleau is a British anaerobic digestion (AD) technology company that has developed the technology for the UK market.  AD combines renewable energy production with bio-waste and nutrient management and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The innovative plant, designed and built by Clearfleau for BV Dairy in Shaftesbury, offers a novel approach to on-site treatment of liquid residues produced in the food processing sector.

Craig Chapman, Chief Executive of Clearfleau said:

‘We are delighted to win the award for the Design of a Waste Management Facility.  For an emerging and innovative company like Clearfleau it was very gratifying in the face of such tough competition. The credit for the award should go to the project design team led by Derek Rodman and the project manager Andy Clark. I hope the success of the BV Dairy project will encourage other food processors to look at treating effluent on site to reduce their impact on the environment".

Clearfleau’s liquid digestion plants are designed for industrial applications and will generate energy from food and drink processing effluents and co-products.  Like other innovative UK companies that are more focused on farm or community scale AD plants, we are seeking to challenge accepted practices in the waste to energy sector”. 

Steve Eminton, Editor of letsrecycle.com, said:

 “The judges chose the Clearfleau plant at the BV Dairy in Dorset role part for the innovative approach to show how anaerobic digestion can play within the UK dairy sector and the wider food manufacturing industry. In particular, the work on a confined site and consequent reduction of disposal and treatment costs for biodegradable processing residues was noted by the judges.”

Clearfleau’s process is particularly suited to dairy processing waste containing residual fats. This approach to generating energy from liquid effluents is appropriate for much of the UK food sector.  It will reduce pressure from food processing sites on the national sewage treatment infrastructure.

Alan McInnes, Technical Director at BV Dairy said:

‘We are very pleased that the BV Dairy project has won this award for design of a Waste Management Facility. BV Dairy was chosen by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) as a showcase site to demonstrate innovative anaerobic digestion in the dairy sector and the wider food manufacturing industry. Construction of our compact anaerobic digestion plant was completed in the autumn of 2010, on time and within budget".

Clearfleau’s liquid digestion plants can be installed on confined sites. They cut effluent treatment and energy costs, while generating revenue from the energy produced, by treating liquid processing effluent plus materials like sugars, oils and fats, or reject product and ingredients.  The energy generated can be used in the factory, contributing to a reduction in the site’s carbon footprint. 

Clearfleau has also been shortlisted for the Renewable Energy Association’s Project Developer Award  2011 the winner will be announced at their Awards Gala Dinner on Thursday 16 June 2011.http://www.r-e-a.net/events/rea-events/awards