A farm in the north-west of Kent has significantly enhanced its biogas operation by upgrading the mixing system for its two 4,500m3 anaerobic digesters.
Oncoland Farm (part of The Billings Group) had been experiencing problems with the mixers that were installed when the gas-to-grid AD plant was built in 2020 as part of its continuing diversification.
Traditionally, a mixed farm of arable, dairy and beef, Oncoland has successfully added hops, vines and renewable energy to its portfolio as part of its drive towards net-zero.
However, as plant manager, Carl Woolley discovered, the mixers that were included as part of the package deal, were unsuitable for the feedstock that combines the farm’s cattle slurry with waste from vegetables grown at the 2500-acre site, such as cabbage, potatoes and carrots. Oncoland’s feedstock also includes waste pomegranate and mango that is first sent though a hammer mill.
“The mixers would have probably been fine for a standard mix or maize and slurry,” said Carl, “but for a plant such as ours with varying types of waste, you need much sturdier equipment. Only six months in to us producing biogas, we started to...
Operations at farm enhanced with tough new mixers
