Where there’s muck there’s gas!

Two enterprising Westray men have opted voluntarily to sail up a certain well known creek without a paddle and they plan to come out it smelling of ……..roses, actually!

We’re all becoming familiar with the concept of harnessing the energy potential of wind, wave or tidal power but Colin Risbridger and Sam Harcus have started to release the energy potential of cow slurry and even plain old grass silage. They’re doing this by extracting biogas in an anaerobic digestion plant that they built with assistance from Orkney Enterprise and Orkney Islands Council on the Westray farm of Tuquoy.

Colin Risbridger & Sam Harcus feeding grass silage to the cows

The result is cleaner, cheaper energy with a fertiliser that is virtually odourless – perfect to scatter round the roses and good news for those hanging out washing!

Tammo Pottinger, owner of Tuquoy, said “We’re delighted with the biogas. We now look forward to operating the farm on renewable energy well into the future”. Colin added “Agriculture can produce not just food but also energy. With slurry we’re turning a potential problem into an asset which is always exciting but the potential extra benefits from the concept of using grass as an energy crop are just massive. There’s a lot of grass in Orkney… and a lot of cows’ backsides too!”

Colin may be green by nature but there’s nothing green about his renewable energy experience or his engineering background. Now, after developing the new design of digester through his own business (C Ris Energy), he is licensing the technology to a new joint venture with Sam Harcus, who has an impressive track-record in local economic development and renewable issues. The new company, called Heat and Power Ltd will be formally launched with a share issue in coming weeks with further information available on their website www.heatandpower.ltd.uk.

Sam Harcus added: “The timing is right for this and we plan to build a further farm-based digester this year, this time exporting electricity to the national grid.”

Colin Risbridger & Jim Wallace drink coffee boiled with electricity from biogas

Jim Wallace MSP was clearly impressed on a recent visit to the Tuquoy site. He commented: “I applaud the progress made by Colin Risbridger in turning such a forward-looking idea into a reality. It is clear that this is a technology with significant potential. Not only can it contribute to meeting renewable energy targets, but it can also be beneficial to agriculture. I wish Colin and his team every success as they move this development forward.”

Colin is also leading a research project with the Environmental Research Institute in Thurso, Caithness on the fertiliser benefit of digestate in comparison to conventional cow slurry. The project is due to complete in September 2007 and Dr Simon Thain of the Institute commented; “I am delighted to be able to participate in such exciting renewable energy projects thanks to the support of European and local funding agencies. We hope our research with Colin can show how digestion can provide a useful organic fertiliser whilst also producing energy. This is a great example of how scientists and industry can work closely together to address our need for renewable energy options”.