Black Dog Biogas, the owner and operator of an anaerobic digestion plant at Stag Lane, has announced that it has completed commissioning of a private wire to supply renewable electricity to Vestas’ neighbouring wind blade manufacturing facility.
Led by Black Dog Biogas and its manager Earth Capital, the initiative will supply low-carbon electricity to Vestas’ facility on the banks of the River Medina. Vestas will use this renewable electricity to continue manufacturing offshore wind turbine blades that will generate low carbon power in wind farms.
Vestas Offshore Wind Blades UK is 1 of only 2 Vestas facilities in the world that manufacture blades for offshore wind turbines. The 221,200sq. ft plant – the biggest building on the Isle of Wight – builds blades for some of Vestas’ tallest turbines such as V164-9.5MW, which has 80m long blades, and can provide enough clean electricity to power over 10,000 households.
Currently, over 600 employees at the Isle of Wight facility are producing blades for projects to be installed in UK waters, such as Moray East, Triton Knoll and Seagreen.
Black Dog Biogas generates sufficient power to supply around 80% of Vestas’ needs, as well as around 1,200 homes on the Isle of Wight. The Company’s biogas generates renewable electricity through anaerobic digestion, where organic matter, such as maize and grass, in this case 100% sourced from the Isle of Wight, are broken down by enzymes to produce biogas and biofertiliser.
Black Dog uses the biogas as a fuel in 2 combined-heat-and-power units to generate renewable heat and electricity. The nutrient-rich biofertiliser is spread back onto arable farmland on the Isle of Wight, helping to grow more crops for the Black Dog facility and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This helps support a circular economy and avoids the use of carbon intensive fertilisers on the island.
James Luter, Senior Factory Director at Vestas’ Isle of Wight facility said:
“Our plant on the Isle of Wight is strategically important to our growing offshore business. The UK is a world leader in offshore wind and the Government has unveiled ambitious plans to expand capacity further, a vision we wholeheartedly support. We’re pleased that we can contribute to a more sustainable future, by now using renewable energy from Black Dog to manufacture our blades.”
Article continues below this advertisement
Dr Simon Crook, Director of Black Dog & Investment Director of Earth Capital said:
“This is a great opportunity for two neighbouring green businesses to deliver a scheme that both makes environmental and commercial sense. We could not have wished for a better partner with which to deliver this project. Collaborations such as this are vital in helping the UK reduce carbon emissions and embrace renewable energy. Biogas is an important part of the low-carbon energy mix and it has the potential to reduce waste to landfill by converting household food waste into energy as well.”
Last year the UK Government announced a Ten Point Plan to mobilise government investment and to drive job creation to harness the Green Industrial Revolution. Advancing offshore wind was recognised as a priority within the Ten Point Plan, with the UK setting an ambitious target of quadrupling the country’s offshore wind capacity by 2030.
The only way this could be called a “green” enterprise would be if the biomass was delivered by horse and cart. How many diesel tractors are used at the moment to deliver the stuff. Also, how much more food could be grown on fields instead.