THYME: Can we repurpose process scale assets to demonstrate anaerobic digestion innovations?

A major stumbling block in the transfer of innovations in the anaerobic digestion (AD) technology used to recover energy and resources from organic waste is demonstrating the effectiveness of the innovation at process scale without risk of operational disruption. We propose to develop a fully costed proposal for the repurposing of one of Yorkshire Water’s smaller AD sites so that it can be used as a fully functioning innovation facility to complete a demonstration pipeline that will allow AD innovations to be progressed from laboratory to pilot to process scale, de-risking the implementation of innovative improvements to this critical technology. A number of process changes can only be tested at scale (e.g. those that are likely to be affected by volume / pressure such as gas solubility; energy efficiency of stirrers). The productivity of current industrial processes may remain static unless confidence from demonstrating innovations at scale is possible. Such a site has the potential to not only act as a development and demonstration facility but could be used as an operator training venue prior to the deployment of new processes to minimise operational issues in the implementation of new processes on operational sites. It could also house a specialist AD analytical services facility that could provide rapid operational measurements to AD facilities nationally.