Biogas plant uses food waste to heat 7,000 homes

A facility that turns food waste into gas that can heat up to 7,000 homes has opened in Dorset.

The biogas plant in Parley can handle more than 50,000 tonnes of food waste a year from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The £20m facility, which employs six full-time operators, creates biomethane, which is fed directly into the gas network.

It forms part of a 40-acre "eco park" owned by Eco Sustainable Solutions, which also has sites in Piddlehinton and Weymouth.

Planning permission was granted more than 10 years ago and construction began in 2024, creating 50 construction jobs.

Opening the facility, Dorset Chamber vice president Simon Boyd said he was "stunned" by its capability, calling it "a phenomenal achievement".

He said: "I'm a great believer in business being a force for good. Not only does it generate employment but it does wonders for the environment.

"It's a really good addition to that mix that we need to get as a country so that we can bring down the energy costs that are affecting all businesses."

Eco managing director Justin Dampney said the official opening marked "a significant milestone" in the firm's 30-year history and was "a proud achievement for everyone involved".

He said the plant was able to recycle more than 1,000 tonnes of food waste every week, producing a nutrient-rich biofertiliser for agriculture, as well as the biogas.

"The result is a world-class facility that we can all be extremely proud of - and one that will serve our region for decades to come," he said.

Since Eco began as small-scale composting operation, it has recycled more than 4.3 million tonnes of material, including wood, green waste, road sweepings and food waste for BCP Council, Dorset Council and other contracts.