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Rob Skinner of CoRE NW addressing farmers about the Energy Farm
Project Overview
Within the North West and Cumbria we are facing a series of challenges. We need to:
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Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change
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Halt the decline in farming, one of Cumbria’s most important employers, and provide alternative employment for those in the nuclear industries
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Ensure that communities see greater benefits from renewable energy & welcome its growth.
We believe that it is possible to begin to tackle these challenges through the creation of community owned renewable energy systems. As a first step, we are developing anaerobic digesters owned by ourselves and cooperatives of farmers.
Anaerobic digesters take in slurry, food waste, silage and any organic material and convert them into renewable electricity and heat together with a high quality liquid fertiliser. By doing this, AD plants reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from its feedstocks and from the use of fossil fuels.
In the UK there are a handful of farm based AD plants, but in European countries their potential has been recognised. In Germany, for example, there are over 4000 farm based AD plants. Now with greater financial incentives and an increased local and national policy drive we will experience a similar growth in AD in the UK.
CoRE NW will ensure the North West captitalises on this opportunity. Our team provides the expertise in agriculture, anaerobic digestion and cooperative development that is needed to do this.
At Silloth, we are working with 8 farmers to create a 1000kW AD plant, or Energy farm. It will create 7 jobs, safeguard 19.5 and double the number of farmer’s children staying in farming. Over its 25 year life it will reduce green house gas emissions by 146,000 tonne of CO2e and generate enough electricity for 2000 households. We have successfully submitted a planning application for this, our pilot plant and secured a grant of £375,000 from the NWDA towards its construction. Our second plant will be near Wigton and a planning application has been submitted. Our third plant will be near Workington.
CoRE NW is more than an advisor. It is also a developer and stakeholder. It will therefore share in the profits the Energy Farms generate, which in the case of Silloth will be over £500,000 a year after capital is repaid. As a social enterprise and cooperative owned by the companies it sets up, CoRE NW will then use its share of the profits to work with more farmers.
CoRE NW is a franchise of Community Renewable Energy (CoRE) Ltd which is based in the North East and is a market orientated developer that can grow exponentially. But it will only survive if it establishes substantial and profitable renewable energy systems allowing local communities to share in the benefits renewable energy can bring.
These plants will be the first of a cluster of 15 Energy Farms to be built over the next 10 years that will bring huge social, economic and environmental benefits. They will create:
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Directly over 105 jobs, safeguard 390 and save 2.3 million tonnes of C02e
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Stimulate local economic growth through the availability of low cost renewable heat and electricity in, for example, glass houses growing year round food or visitor attractions
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Create a major AD industry in Cumbria to meet growing demand in the UK built on its strengths in farming and energy.
Press Releases:
Planning permission given for Second Energy Farm in Cumbria
A local green initiative that will generate energy from farm muck and help boost Cumbria’s farming economy has received planning permission for its second Energy Farm in Kirkbride.
The company, Community Renewable Energy (CoRE) North West, working with a cooperative of local farmers, has developed plans for a plant that will turn slurry, manure and silage into green electricity to power nearly a thousand homes as well as heat that will be used in local businesses.
“It is great to get the go ahead for our second Energy Farm,” said Rob Skinner a local agriculturalist and Director of CoRE NW, “we can now start work on getting it built and thus supporting local farmers to become more sustainable both financially and environmentally.”
At the heart of the proposed energy farm is a large anaerobic digester which acts like a giant cow’s stomach that converts manure, silage and manure into biogas and a liquid fertiliser, digestate.
“The anaerobic digester is similar to composting in that it turns manure and other materials into a valuable fertiliser but it does this without oxygen and thus creates methane gas which can be used in gas engine to produce electricity and heat,” added Rob.
This process has huge benefits to the local environment and does not involve any incineration. It converts smelly slurry into virtually smell less digestate (the smell of digestate is 80% less than slurry) which, like compost, is also much more beneficial to the land and replaces the need for expensive chemical fertilisers. It also stops the release of methane from slurry stores, a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution of local rivers from nitrogen run off from slurry.
The Kirkbride Energy Farm is the second for which CoRE NW have received planning permission. The first, which will be double the size at 1000kW, is at Blackdyke near Silloth and for which final arrangements for financing its construction are being made.
CoRE NW plant that these will be the first of a planned 15 Energy Farms to be built over the next 10 years. They will bring huge social, economic and environmental benefits to Cumbria. They will create over 105 jobs, safeguard 390 and save 1 million tonnes of C02e over their lifetime as well a generating enough electricity for 15,000 homes. They will also make Cumbria a national leader in this fast growing industry
“As the Chair of CoRE NW, I am delighted to see this proposed development,“ said Councillor Tony Markley, “The use of natural recourses must play a role in producing energy for the future without been detrimental to the area, I am pleased that the farming industry can improve its profitability using natural resources that will help to benefit the community and environment.”
It also brings major advantages farmers involved. It will increase their income through producing a valuable fertiliser from slurry and from supplying grass to the digester. They, through a cooperative, will own the plant together with the CoRE NW.
Adrian Carruthers a local farmer involved in the plant and who owns the farm where the digester is proposed, “It will increase our income, reduce our usage of chemicals and produce renewable energy, both benefitting our environment.”
The Energy Farm will create four jobs and produce green renewable electricity which will be sold to the national grid and local users as well as heat. Negotiations are on going to heat animal housing, a local hotel and other businesses on the industrial estate.
Over the next ten years, CoRE NW plans to build ten Energy Farms in Cumbria working with local farmers and creating
CoRE NW will also work with interested communities to set up and own any renewable energy systems, including wood heating, solar panels and water turbines.
“As a social enterprise,” added Keith Richardson Operations Director of CoRE NW, “we will take a stake in the Kirkbride Energy Farm and use the profits it generates to help more farmers set up more Energy Farms.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Kirkbride Energy Farm and the work of CoRE NW can contact Rob on 07775 764263 or Keith on 07951 935235.
May 2010
Cumbrian farmers take national lead on producing green energy
A new initiative that aims to put Cumbrian Farmers at the forefront of producing renewable energy from agricultural materials has begun work on the second of a cluster of what are being called Energy Farms.
The second £2 million Energy Farm is being developed at Kirkbride in West Cumbria and will generate energy from farm muck and energy crops, create jobs and boost farmer’s income.
The work is being carried out by a group of farmers who will own the Energy Farm along with Community Renewable Energy North West, a local organisation that has become a national leader in the development of cooperatively owned Energy Farms.
“The Kirkbride Energy Farm will help create a truly sustainable farmer controlled solution to many of the problems we face from climate change to the decline of our farming industry” said Rob Skinner, Agricultural Director with CoRE NW.
At the heart of the proposed energy farm is a large anaerobic digester which uses bacteria similar to those in a cow’s stomach to convert silage and manure into biogas and a liquid fertiliser called digestate. Anaerobic digestion is similar to composting, in that it turns manure and other materials into a valuable fertiliser, but it does this without oxygen and thus creates methane gas which can be used in gas engine to produce electricity and heat.
This process has huge benefits to the local environment and does not involve any incineration. It converts smelly slurry into virtually smell less digestate (the smell of digestate is 80% less than slurry) which, like compost, is also much more beneficial to the land and replaces the need for expensive chemical fertilisers. It also stops the release of methane from slurry stores, a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, and the pollution of local rivers from nitrogen run off from slurry.
It also brings major advantages to the farmers involved. It will increase their income through producing a valuable fertiliser from slurry and from supplying grass to the digester. Through, a cooperative they will own the plant together with CoRE NW.
“All too often farmers have been at the mercy of big business and government initiatives” said Adrian Carruthers, one of the farmers involved, “But this time as partners we have the opportunity to be in the driving seat and get our fair share of the rewards.”
The Energy farm will create 5 jobs and produce green renewable electricity and heat. This will be used to heat animal housing and other buildings near the site.
Development of the Energy Farm has been partly funded by Envirolink North West.
The Kirkbride Energy Farm is the second of a cluster of ten Energy Farms CoRE NW plan to build in partnership with local farmers, the first is the Blackdyke Energy Farm at Silloth. CoRE NW expect both to be operational by Autumn 2010.
January 2010
Residents invited to find out more about Silloth Energy Farm
A new green initiative that will generate energy from farm muck and help boost Cumbria’s farming economy is to hold a public exhibition and meeting on Friday 4 September in Silloth to explain its plans.
The company, Community Renewable Energy (CoRE) North West, is working with farmers to use mainly manure and silage to set up a cluster of Energy Farms, beginning with Blackdyke Industrial Estate Energy Farm in Silloth. “We are just about to submit the application for planning for Blackdyke,” said Rob Skinner a Agricultural Director with CoRE NW, “As part of this, we are inviting members of the public to come and find out what is planned and how what we are doing will benefit the local environment.”
At the heart of the proposed energy farm is a large anaerobic digester which uses bacteria similar to those in a cow’s stomach to convert silage and manure into biogas and a liquid fertiliser called digestate. Anaerobic digestion is similar to composting, in that it turns manure and other materials into a valuable fertiliser, but it does this without oxygen and thus creates methane gas which can be used in gas engine to produce electricity and heat.
This process has huge benefits to the local environment and does not involve any incineration. It converts smelly slurry into virtually smell less digestate (the smell of digestate is 80% less than slurry) which, like compost, is also much more beneficial to the land and replaces the need for expensive chemical fertilisers. It also stops the release of methane from slurry stores, a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, and the pollution of local rivers from nitrogen run off from slurry.
“As the local County Councillor for the Silloth and Solway coast area I am delighted to see this proposed development, “said Councillor Tony Markley, “The use of natural resources must play a role in producing energy for the future without being detrimental to the area. I am pleased that the farming industry can improve its profitability using natural resources that will help to benefit the community and environment.”
It also brings major advantages to the 15 farmers involved. It will increase their income through producing a valuable fertiliser from slurry and from supplying grass to the digester. Through a cooperative they will own the plant together with the CoRE NW.
“We think this a great way forward for Cumbrian farmers,” said Mike Pearson who owns the farm where the proposed digester will be sited, “As well as increasing our income, it also means we reduce our usage of chemicals and produce renewable energy, both benefitting our environment.”
The Energy farm will create 7 jobs and produce enough green renewable electricity for nearly 2000 houses as well as heat. This will be used to heat animal housing and other buildings near the farm. There are also plans to look at using the heat and digestate fertiliser to set up a hydroponicum to grow vegetables and provide a cafe and visitor centre creating more local jobs.
CoRE NW will also work with interested communities to set up and own any renewable energy systems, including wood heating, solar panels and water turbines. The initial work on Blackdyke Industrial Estate Energy Farm has been supported by CoRE; a national renewables development project. Was funded by The Hub, a social enterprise support project operating across West Cumbria and supported by West Lakes Renaissance. Additional funding has been received from Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and North West Regional Development Agency through Cumbria County Council.
“As a social enterprise,” added Keith Richardson of CoRE NW, “We will take a stake in the Blackdyke Industrial Estate Energy Farm and use the profits it generates to help more farmers set up more Energy Farms, the next being in the Carlisle area.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Blackdyke Industrial Estate Energy Farm and the work of CoRE NW can come to Silloth Discovery Centre, 1pm-6pm Friday 4 September or contact Rob on 07775764263 or Keith on 07951 935235.
August 2009
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A second full planning application for a 500kW Anaerobic Digester Plant at Kirkbride was granted in May 2010. See below for press release and more information about the project.
A full planning application for a 1000kW Anaerobic Digester Plant at Blackdyke was submitted in November 2009. The application was successfully granted in February 2010.
The CoRE NW team held a Public Consultation on Friday 4 September at The Siloth Discovery Centre. Read the article opposite for more information.
Gunter Woltron, director of CoRE NW gave a presentation "Biogas opportunities for the farmer" at the All-Energy Conference in Aberdeen in May. View presentation.
CoRE is working with a group of farmers in North Cumbria to produce energy by setting up a network of anaerobic digesters. Read more by downloading the file "Cumbria Energy Farms Anaerobic Digester Project" from CoRE NW Document Download.
CoRE has produced two studies into AD feasibility in Cumbria.
Click on the links below to download the reports from CoRE NW Document Download.
Blackdyke Energy Farm Feasibility Study - draft interim report.
Farm based Anaerobic Digestion - its impact on creating sustainable communities.
CoRE North West has been set up initially to work with farmers to use slurry, manure and silage to set up a cluster of Energy Farms, beginning with Middle Farm in Silloth.
The Energy Farms will use a process, anaerobic digestion, which was first developed in the UK in Cumbria. It is believed the first one in the UK was built by Sir William Lawson at Blenarhasset in 1871.
CoRE NW is setting up a large 1.2mW anaerobic digester with a cooperative of farmers which can supply enough electiricity to run 2000 homes. It will be run on slurry, manure and silage. As well as providing income to farmers, the digester will rid them of the problem of slurry, which is both smelly and toxic when applied to soils. Instead, farmers will get back liquid fertiliser from the digester which will replace almost all their need for chemicals. This will save them money and improve the condition of their soil as well as being relatively odourless.
“We think this a great way forward for Cumbrian farmers,” said Mike Pearson who owns the farm where the digester is proposed, “As well as increasing our income, it also means we reduce our usage of chemicals and produce renewable energy, both benefitting our environment.”
As well as electricity, the digester will also produce heat and this will be used to heat animal housing and other buildings near the farm. There are also plans to look at using the heat and digestate fertiliser to set up a hydroponicum to grow vegetables and provide a cafe and visitor centre.
“As a social enterprise, added Keith Richardson of CoRE NW, “We will take a stake in the Middle Farm digester and use the profits it generates to help more farmers set up others in Aspatria, Kirkbride and Southwaite.”
CoRE NW will also work with interested communities to set up and own any renewable energy systems, including wood heating, solar panels and water turbines. The initial work on Middle Farm has been funded by The Hub, a social enterprise support project operating across West Cumbria and supported by West Lakes Renaissance.
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