Work on £2million biochar plant in Ludlow to start in coming months
Shropshire Council have confirmed that work to develop a pyrolysis plant on Ludlow’s Coder Road business park will begin in late spring.
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Plans to convert a former anaerobic digester in Ludlow into a biochar plant were given the go-ahead this week at Shropshire Council’s Southern Planning Committee.
Biochar is made by heating organic materials - such as plant trimmings, food processing residues, or forestry cuttings - in an environment without oxygen at temperatures of 400°C or higher (also known as pyrolysis).
The scheme is part of a £2 million investment into biochar-producing pyrolysis plants, with the first being built by Woodtek Engineering Ltd on Caebardd Farm in Powys.
At the meeting of the planning committee on Tuesday, March 25, the project received unanimous support from the cross-party committee following the Planning Officer’s recommendation to approve the application.
Shropshire Council, who are behind the plans, say the initiative will assist them towards achieving its climate change targets, produce a small amount of renewable energy. In addition, the biochar product can be sold for many uses in agriculture, construction and industry.
According to the local authority, the first on-site activity will be the decommissioning and removal of equipment from the former biodigester, which is scheduled for late spring 2025.
The new plant will be installed over summer and autumn 2025, with the aim of having the plant operational early in 2026.
BioDynamic Carbon Ltd, a joint venture company with Shropshire Council will operate the plant following its successful tender application earlier this year.
Once operational, the plant is expected to produce around 1,000 tonnes of biochar per year from feedstock such wasted from the timber supply industry and tree debris - which the council gather from managing thousands of trees around the county.
Mark Foxall, Shropshire Council’s technical support and projects manager, said: “The creation of biochar is an innovative and sustainable way to reduce our net carbon emissions as a council as well as generating income to support delivery of essential public services.
“Our first plant is already producing biochar and we are pleased with its performance and output. With the planning application for our Ludlow site having now received approval we’re now looking forward to getting started on our second biochar project.”
Dan Wrench, Shropshire Council’s climate and carbon project officer, said that the council has been approached by more than 30 other councils and several business looking to invest in the technology.
