Pioneering Carbon Neutrality in Waste Water Treatment
In a landmark move towards sustainability, Severn Trent has unveiled plans to revolutionise waste treatment with the creation of the world’s first carbon-neutral plant in Staffordshire. This ambitious project, valued at almost £40 million, will see the transformation of the Strongford Wastewater Treatment Plant into a beacon of environmental stewardship.
The project, backed by all UK and Irish water companies and supported by an international Net Zero Partnership with Aarhus Vand in Denmark and Melbourne Water in Australia, signifies a collective commitment to combatting climate change.
The scope of this endeavour is unprecedented, with the objective of eradicating 34,000 tonnes of carbon annually—the equivalent of a person flying return between London and New York 34,500 times.
Central to this groundbreaking project is the establishment of a ‘net-zero hub’, where cutting-edge technologies will converge to minimise environmental impact. Leveraging the expertise of BGEN, a multi-disciplinary engineering partner with over 100 years’ experience in the utility sector and over 23 years as a framework supplier to Severn Trent. With the support of BGEN, Severn Trent aims to integrate the most promising innovations to achieve carbon neutrality.
As part of this initiative, BGEN have adopted a collaborative approach working side by side with Severn Trent and their nominated supply chain partners, including Mott McDonald Bentley on this project to integrate world-leading carbon reduction technologies.
BGEN’s role extends to the integration of package plant systems for the Strongford Sewage Treatment Works. This includes Royal HaskoningDHV Innovative sludge digestion technology for optimising anaerobic digester performance, Ephyra installed on two Digester Streams to achieve high-rate plug-flow anaerobic digestion and ELIQUO’s ELOVAC technology a process of vacuum degassing of digested sludge with an option for integrated phosphate precipitation.
On top of the integration of these innovative systems BGEN are also providing Digester mixer and compressor VSD Panels, PLC, HMI and Site SCADA modifications, site cable installation and network extension to the existing site fibre Optic system.
Nick Burtoft SevernTrent, Carbon Portfolio Manager had nothing but praise for the BGEN team as he explained.
“The Net Zero Hub is essentially a large-scale innovation project & as such requires our supply chain to adopt ways of working which are very different to those within our standard Capital Delivery process. BGEN have been really agile and the whole team have played their part to ensure we’re able to capture vital learnings that will enable us to deliver similar work at our other large sites next AMP.”
“BGEN has worked on various projects at Strongford Treatment Works over the last 25 years, and we are very proud to be involved in integrating this technology to help transform the site into the first carbon-neutral site.”
Added Tom Woolacott, BGEN, Severn Trent Framework Manager.
BGEN’s commitment to environmental responsibility aligns seamlessly with Severn Trent’s vision for a greener future, by harnessing their industry-leading carbon-zero solution and leveraging their in-house capabilities, including a 1,000-strong blue-collar operative team and prefabrication facilities. BGEN offer a solution that provides quality, scalability, and speed in the mission for sustainability.
