UK-based Acorn Bioenergy Ltd, a leading producer of biomethane and biogenic carbon dioxide, has officially launched Winchester’s first renewable anaerobic digestion (AD) facility at Three Maids Hill.
The new facility, located alongside a solar farm and InstaVolt’s EV superhub near the A34, reinforces Winchester’s position as an emerging “renewable energy hub”.
The plant has already created 15 jobs and is expected to support up to 50 positions within the wider engineering, rural, and infrastructure supply chain.
Acorn’s development will deliver secure, clean energy for thousands of homes and provide jobs for the local community in Hampshire. Biomethane can play an important role in reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, boosting our energy security, and helping us accelerate to net zero, commented Minister for Industry, Sarah Jones.
Delivering tangible benefits
Designed to process 83,600 tonnes of agricultural residues, local agri-waste, and break crops annually, the site will produce more than 120 GWh of biomethane per annum.
The site also generates nutrient-rich bio-fertiliser – known as digestate – that is returned to local farms to improve soil health and reduce reliance on imported and carbon-intensive alternatives, as well as high-purity biogenic carbon dioxide (bioCO2) for sustainable industrial uses.
The project is already delivering tangible benefits to local farmers, providing guaranteed fixed-pricing agreements that shield them from volatile commodity markets while lowering fertiliser costs through the use of digestate, as well as providing farmers with a local outlet for break crops grown as part of sustainable crop rotations.
Having farmed at Three Maids Hill previously, we always found the land had limited agricultural value. However, it has strong potential with this new renewable biogas generation facility, which we are now providing feedstock for. Both energy security and food security are massively important to the UK, and partnering with Acorn Bioenergy helps us deliver both, said Nick Rowsell of West Stoke Farm, who supplies break crops to the facility.
Complements intermittent renewable sources
By producing constant renewable gas, the Winchester plant complements intermittent sources such as wind and solar, strengthening the UK’s energy system and contributing to the Government’s ambition to quadruple biomethane production by 2030–2035.
A real flagship hub for Acorn Bioenergy, we were delighted to launch the Three Maids facility to demonstrate how renewable biogas generation can power homes, strengthen food security, and support the UK’s net zero ambitions. Alongside our dozen sites in development, it is a major step towards our ambition to supply 25 percent of the UK’s biomethane, said Alister Veitch, Head of Business Development at Acorn Bioenergy.
Acorn Bioenergy is already constructing two further plants in the UK, alongside a dedicated gas injection hub.
The company was acquired in 2022 by Spain-headquartered Qualitas Energy, a leading global investment and management platform with a dual focus on funding and developing renewable energy, energy transition, and sustainable infrastructure.
