Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area Planning Framework

320 Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area Planning FrameworkPotential for new anaerobicdigestion (AD) facility in OAThe OAPF sets out the approach to tacklingclimate change through development in theOA. The key principles include establishing acombined cooling heat and power (CCHP)/combined heat and power (CHP) networkthroughout the OA, linking into existingsurrounding systems.The opportunity for converting waste intofuel via anaerobic digestion (AD) to powerCCHP/CHP systems is being explored.Whilst organic waste can also be composted,anaerobic digestion is preferred due tothe energy and heat generating potentialas seen in Table TA6.1 below. Other wastetechnologies where considered for theopportunity area such as gasificationhowever due to the abundance of organicwaste arising from the New Covent GardenMarket site land availability, cost andscale anaerobic digestion is consideredmost appropriate.Anaerobic DigestionCompostingSpace requirement (footprint) 50% 100%Odours 20% 100%Energy balance Energy surplus Energy demandBiogas production 100 - 150 m 3 /Mg NilProcess time required to producemature compost3 weeks digestion, plus5 weeks composting12 weeksTable TA6.1 A Comparison of Anaerobic Digestion with CompostingComparison table from: “Introduction to Anaerobic Digestion”,Wolfgang Muller and AxelHuttner, ORA - Organic Resource Agency Ltd., Malvern Hills Science Park, Geraldine Road,Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 3SZ, and IGW – Ingenieurgemeinschaft Witzenhausen Fricke& Turk, and GmbH, Bischhuser Aue 12, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany. Presented at theBiowaste: Digesting the Alternatives Seminar, April 2005, UK.The use of anaerobic digestion for treatingorganic waste is supported in both theNational Waste Strategy for England 2007,The Mayor’s Municipal Waste ManagementStrategy and the London Plan as a key wayof managing waste in London, achievinggreenhouse gas emissions reductions,maximising energy efficiency, and generatingrenewable energy. AD can be used toproduce energy locally and efficientlythereby reducing London’s reliance on largescalepower stations and the national grid(called decentralised energy). Air emissionsfrom anaerobic digestion are low due to theprocess operating in the absence of air.This document explains how anaerobicdigestion works, potential sources of wasteto provide adequate throughput for theproposed A.D plant, indicative footprint,capital and ongoing costs, potential providersand sources of funding.