Buildings
AD Photo Diary
Farm-scale AD plant – Cockle Park Farm, University of Newcastle
The University of Newcastle is building a farm-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at its Cockle Park Farm. The feedstock will be a combination of pig slurry, straw-based litter and cattle slurry from the university’s pig and dairy units, along with vegetable waste from a local vegetable packer.
The Cockle Park plant will be used as a demonstration site for AD technology and for research.
It will hopefully show that small-scale AD plants can be a viable option for small and medium-sized farmers who want to invest in renewable energy.
BPEX is following the project’s progress with a photo diary, from the construction stages through to energy production. Dr Paul Bilsborrow is leading the project team at the University.
Please see links below for progress.
January 2012
July 2011 saw the official launch of the Cockle Park AD Plant. The official opening was conducted by Lord Henley, who was the Defra Minister at the time. The event attracted many dignitaries from the farming and renewables industries and was concluded with a tour of the plant.
There are new AD workshop dates for 2012 at Cockle Park. The next workshops – including tour of the plant – will run on 2 February and 8 March 2012. For more details, click here.
These have proved really popular since the plant officially opened in 2011.
Lord Henley cuts the ribbon at the official opening of the plant
Dr Paul Bilsborrow of Newcastle University shows guests round the plant
Contact Nigel Penlington or Anna Davis at BPEX for advice on the options for AD investments on UK pig farms.
