Royal HaskoningDHV And United Utilities Secure UK Government Funding For Sludge Technology

Working in close collaboration with United Utilities, Royal HaskoningDHV is delighted to have been awarded funding from the UK Government to deliver its Ephyra plug-flow sludge digestion technology at Stockport Sludge Treatment Centre in Greater Manchester. This is the first application of this technology in the UK as a retrofit to a conventional digestion plant and provides a significant step forward in sustainable energy recovery.

Royal HaskoningDHV’s Ephyra technology is expected to increase biogas production by more than 20%. As well as reducing operating costs it will bring the site close to achieving energy neutrality and significantly reduce GHG emissions.

The funding has been awarded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA), part of the Government’s £1B Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). The IEEA is managed by the Carbon Trust with support from Jacobs and Innovate UK KTN, and aims to reduce energy consumption, maximise resource efficiency, and cut greenhouse gas emissions in the industry.

First retrofit
Stockport Sludge Treatment Centre will be the first site in the UK where Royal HaskoningDHV’s Ephyra technology is retrofitted to existing conventional anaerobic digesters. Once operational, the plant will demonstrate best in class sludge digester performance, producing more biogas with less stabilised sludge needing to be recycled to land and reducing downstream methane emissions. By uprating rather than investing in new build, United Utilities also benefits from minimal construction costs and reduced carbon impact.

Tom Lissett, Bioresource and Green Energy Director at United Utilities explains: “Innovation is critical to make our services as sustainable and cost-effective as possible.

“We’re really pleased to be a partner in this UK government funded IEEA project, recognising the benefits of retrofitting and optimising the performance of existing assets, rather than investing in new build. This is one of a range of exciting projects which will maximise the potential of our bioresources, reduce carbon emissions and support the decarbonisation of energy production in the UK.

“This funding will help us clearly demonstrate the positive impact that Ephyra technology will have in the UK when implemented at scale.”

Retrofit opportunities
Paul Lavender, Director Water Utilities UK at Royal HaskoningDHV explains: “We are delighted to have successfully secured funding from the UK government for our sludge digestion project for United Utilities. This is a positive step for energy efficiency and sustainable wastewater treatment.”

Paul McKinney, Associate Director at the Carbon Trust and programme manager for the IEEA said: “The IEEA is supporting decarbonisation across a wide range of sectors, and we are excited to be supporting this innovation which will hopefully lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions associated with sludge processing.”

The operational demonstration of the technology is due to begin at the Stockport site by Autumn 2024.

About Royal HaskoningDHV
Royal HaskoningDHV is an independent consultancy company which integrates over 140 years of design, engineering and consultancy expertise with software and technology to deliver more added value for clients. Through our mission Enhancing Society Together, we take responsibility for having a positive impact on the world and contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goals. We constantly challenge ourselves and others to develop sustainable and socially responsible solutions to local and global issues related to the built environment. Backed by the expertise of around 6,000 colleagues working from offices in more than 20 countries across the world, we are helping clients with challenges ranging from climate change and digital transformation to changing customer demands and the energy transition. For more information, visit www.royalhaskoningdhv.com.

About Ephyra
Ephyra is a compact and sustainable technology for sludge digestion. It offers cost-effective digestion technology with significantly more sludge degradation, high biogas yields, better final dewatering and lower polymer usage – all within the smallest footprint. This technology has already been applied as a new build at a number of sites globally. For further information on Ephyra, visit the website.

About United Utilities
United Utilities provides water and wastewater services for 7 million people in North West England. Between 2020 and 2025 it will invest £5.9bn running and upgrading services to customers, with more than 5,000 employees and another 17,500 jobs supported through its supply chain. United Utilities participates in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment which is an annual evaluation of more than 10,000 companies around the world. For 2022, our overall performance was 81% and we were included in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2022. United Utilities’ headquarters are in Warrington. Its shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 Index. For more information, visit https://www.unitedutilities.com/.

About the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA)
The latest round of the IEEA is a four year programme funded through the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), a £1B fund announced in the UK Prime Minister’s ten point plan for a green industrial revolution, to accelerate the commercialisation of low carbon technologies, systems and business models in power, buildings, and industry. The IEEA was launched in 2017 and it has awarded a total of £16.5m in grant funding, supporting 31 projects. For more information, visit //carbontrust.com/ieea.