In a pioneering collaboration, Ixora Energy (Engie) and ALPS Ecoscience upgraded a 9 MWth anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in southwest England with the innovative SMASH technology. This upgrade, aimed at enhancing feedstock conversion and gas production efficiency, yielded immediate benefits, including a 19% increase in biomethane production and a 23% reduction in feedstock costs. Additionally, the technology improved mixing by reducing total and organic solids and enhanced digestate consistency, leading to less wear on machinery.

The long-term business benefits of the SMASH technology were equally impressive, demonstrating a 56% increase in consumption efficiency and a 48% increase in the potential organic loading rate. Remarkably, the technology allowed the plant to potentially double its gas output with only a 28% increase in feedstock. These improvements are rooted in ALPS’ extensive research since 2020, which focused on dual-stage digestion using acid hydrolysis/fermentation pre-treatment combined with a CSTR anaerobic digestion stage.

During the trial phase, the SMASH system processed 15% of the plant’s feed, leading to a peak biomethane yield of 464 m³CH₄/tODM, significantly higher than the previous two-year benchmark of 359 m³CH₄/tODM. With full-scale implementation, ALPS projects a conversion efficiency increase from 55% to 82% and a biomethane yield of 560 m³CH₄/tODM. The successful trial underscores the potential of SMASH technology to revolutionize anaerobic digestion plants globally, marking a significant step forward in sustainable energy production.