Investment powers expansion at North East waste recycling firm

Waste recycling and sustainable energy firm, Warrens Emerald Biogas, is set to increase processing capacity at its plant by 40 per cent following a multi-million pound cash injection.

The company, part of Warrens Group, was recently acquired by Bio Capital, a major environmental investment fund.

Warrens Emerald Biogas turns food waste into power and was the region’s first ever commercial anaerobic digestion facility in Newton Aycliffe.

The business processes 115,000 tonnes of food and agricultural waste each year at its site.

That waste is then converted into more than 100 million kWh of clean, green energy.

This could power the equivalent of 19,000 homes in the region, as well as supplying local farmers with 100,000 tonnes of biofertiliser.

The recent investment will see the company increase biogas creating capacity at the anaerobic digestion plant by upgrading waste reception facilities.

Warrens Group is committed to helping businesses in different sectors reduce the amount of food waste they send to landfill and incineration.

It also aims to fully decarbonise its lorry fleet by 2025 and in October last year, upgraded with four new vehicles that run on biofuel.

Kevin Quigley, commercial director at Warrens Group, said: “We continue to make impressive strides towards helping our customers evaluate their operations so they can reduce their overall environmental impact in the communities they serve.

“Expanding our capabilities is not only really exciting for us, it also provides businesses across the region with the opportunity to act in more responsible and sustainable ways to reduce their own carbon footprint.

“We see recycling food waste as a win-win. Once businesses pay closer attention to the waste they generate, we find they generate less of it. But where food is wasted, we convert it into ‘good’ energy for local communities.”

Mick Fishwick, chief operating officer of Bio Capital, added: “We are delighted to have added Warrens Emerald Biogas into our national portfolio of green power facilities.

“We are very supportive of the company’s expansion plans and look forward to working with our customers, businesses and communities throughout the North East.”