Grontmij delivers energy scheme for Yorkshire Water's new thermal hydrolysis sludge plant

A joint venture between Grontmij and UK company Morgan Sindall, has been appointed to deliver a pioneering energy scheme worth over 1.5 million euro over two years for Grontmij.

High pressure thermal hydrolysis
Yorkshire Water manages the collection, treatment and distribution of water in the Yorkshire district. At its waste water treatment plant Esholt (750,000 pollution equivalents) in the Leeds and Bradford area, the company is building Britain's first fully operational thermal hydroloysis plant for sludge treatment.

The Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP) is based on enzymic hydrolysis and high-pressure thermal hydrolysis (10 bar). This process not only produces significantly more biogas but is set to show how it makes digesters easier to manage and less costly to operate.

Saving millions of pounds
The assignment of Grontmij is to design the energy scheme for the thermal hydrolysis plant which will save the utility company millions of British pounds a year in electricity consumption and expenditure.

Fully self-sufficient wwtp
In 2010/11, use of its own renewable energy sources produced around 10% of the company’s electricity needs. It aims to increase this figure to around 15% by the end of 2014/15, and to more than 20% by 2020. Ultimately, the waste water treatment works will be 100% self-sufficient in energy production making it by far the greenest plant.

This press release was originally published on the website of Grontmij Group.

More information
Grontmij Group
De Bilt, the Netherlands
+31 30 220 79 11
www.grontmij.com