A leading bio-gas engineering firm has welcomed the opportunity to hear from those playing an “instrumental role” in delivering a sustainable future at the UK’s inaugural Green Infrastructure Week.
Policy makers, industry leaders and innovators working in green infrastructure are coming together for the first time from April 25 to 29 to deliver a series of webinars to share insight into the latest technologies and projects.
Among those attending virtually will be CooperÖstlund, a Northampton-based company which specialises in bio-gas engines – anaerobic digestion systems – as well as combined heat and power (CHP) engines.
Green infrastructure has been described as the “workhorse” of net zero, a strategy designed to try to protect the natural world from rising global temperatures.
Duncan McPherson, CooperÖstlund’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “It’s really promising to see renewable energy taking centre stage in the future energy mix and forming part of the agenda at the UK’s first Green Infrastructure Week.
“Those leading, and attending, the event play an instrumental role in re-designing how we optimise resources to deliver a truly sustainable future. We are looking forward to hearing more on the latest news and plans for this important sector.”
The government has made a commitment to increase energy produced from waste through anaerobic digestion, a system which CooperÖstlund has been delivering for the last 15 years.
Anaerobic digestion, which generates renewable energy, uses waste to produce methane that can either be used as fuel for combined heat and power gas engines (CHP), or upgraded for use in the National Gas Grid.
CooperÖstlund has worked on numerous anaerobic digestion projects nationwide, from small-scale farm setups to huge food waste recycling facilities.
Mr McPherson commented: “For our part, we strongly believe that anaerobic digestion has a vital role to play in both energy self-sufficiency and in providing a sustainable energy source for the UK. It’s about appreciating the value of waste.”
Mr McPherson said he was particularly interested in one of the topics being covered during Green Infrastructure Week, ‘Bioenergy: Maximising the potential’. CooperÖstlund helps to maximise the potential of its clients’ systems by providing a CHP maintenance schedule that minimises downtime and ensures maximum engine efficiency and therefore power output. Recent examples include major overhauls for a Scottish distillery, a waste water utility and a food waste anaerobic digestion plant.
Supporting the increased development of new Gas to Grid plants, CooperÖstlund has partnered with energy equipment firm ETW Energietechnik GmbH to deliver its biogas upgrading system, SmartCycle PSA. This innovative system uses a carbon molecular sieve to clean the biogas resulting in lower operational costs, lower maintenance and increased operational hours.
Green Infrastructure Week highlights the British technologies that will be used to deliver the biggest gains in the global transition to net zero. It will highlight both the UK’s world-class skills and services in research, science and engineering, and recognise the technologies already moving at pace.
It comes after the government laid out its Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, a wide-ranging strategy which aims to turn the UK into the world’s number one centre for green technology and finance.
