Glendullan’s on-site bio-energy plant

What we did

Diageo is the world’s largest producer of spirits with a strong commitment to efficient and sustainable production. Our second on-site bio-energy plant for Diageo was built at its Glendullan distillery in the Scottish Highlands. Treating whisky co-products, it demonstrates how the whisky sector can embrace the circular economy. Replacing an existing aerobic plant at another site, the plant is both cutting the site’s carbon footprint and reducing production costs.

Key components of this bio-energy plant are:

Feedstock supply Distillery co-products including pot ale and spent lees, supplemented by feedstock piped from nearby distilleries.

Anaerobic reactor With no internal moving parts, the 3,000m3 AD tank uses external mixing to ensure optimal biogas output.

Solids separation The proprietary system recycles bio-degradable solids to boost COD removal, reducing liquid retention to 3 days.

Biogas handling Biogas, with a 55% methane content, is stored in the biodome, before combustion in the dedicated biogas boiler.

Aerobic treatment In a Sequential Batch Reactor, with pressure filtration prior to clean water discharge into the River Fiddich.

Objectives
Objectives
- Treat process residues generated from distilling
- Updating outdated disposal methods
- Reduction in energy consumed
- Biogas generation
- Achieving water course discharge standards
Solution

Solution

Our ClearFleau CSTR liquid digestion (AD) technology converts distillation co-products into biogas which is used to supply renewable heat for use in the distillation process. It can reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in feedstocks by over 95%, including higher-strength materials such as pot ale.

The innovative Glendullan design reflects its sensitive location in a valley adjacent to the River Fiddich, achieving the appropriate water course discharge standards.
Benefits
Benefits
- Enabling increased local production
- Accessing latent energy value in residues
- Boosting the site’s resource efficiency
- Income from renewable energy generation
- Clean water discharged to River Fiddich
- Nutrients from bio-solids for barley crops

Project Highlights

100 m3 co-products processed per day
1 million m3 biogas generated per year
6,000MWh heat generated per year
25% reduction in fossil fuel energy demand
1,000 tonnes carbon saved per year
15 truck journeys cut per day

Reference projects

Sector

Technology

Country

International project implemented – despite pandemic

In the meat industry, for example, wastewater with a high organic load is produced during the cleaning of production plants.

Flotation process operating materials review reduces water treatment chemical costs by up to 30%

A food manufacturer has reduced water treatment chemical consumption and sludge disposal costs by using different products in its wastewater treatment plant.

My Fresh's on-site bioenergy plant

My Fresh supplies freshly prepared vegetables and ingredients to well-known UK food brands and retailers. At its Bedfordshire facility, trade effluent and organic residues from processing onions, garlic and potatoes are treated in our on-site Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant.

New UK Food Factory future proofing it‘s wastewater requirements

A manufacturer of sauces uses a DAF plant solution from EnviroChemie to treat it’s wastewater prior to discharge, allowing them to remain within consent and minimise costs.

UK Food Producer stays compliant as business grows

A manufacturer of fresh ready meals uses a DAF plant solution from EnviroChemie to treat it’s wastewater prior to discharge, allowing them to remain within consent and minimise costs.

Glendullan’s on-site bio-energy plant

Our second on-site bio-energy plant for Diageo was built at its Glendullan distillery in the Scottish Highlands. Treating whisky co-products.

Energy from wastewater

The Norrmejerier dairies generate energy, conserve resources and reduce operating costs using a Biomar® anaerobic wastewater treatment system.

The hidden potential in dairies

Dairies use water for many different stages in the production process. There are often potential savings to be made here in terms of resources and energy. To achieve this, however, an integral view is required, since the cycles used in dairies, which have often grown over the years, are highly…

Hochland purifies wastewater with energy-efficient Biomar® plant

With all-year-round reliability, the resource-efficient Biomar® aerobic technology reduces costs

Moroccan dairy installs energy-efficient wastewater treatment with water recycling

Ensures compliance with legal requirements, odour suppression and water recycling for irrigation

Moroccan dairy cuts carbon footprint by recycling liquid waste

A large dairy uses a tailor-made plant solution from EnviroChemie to recycle its liquid waste and efficiently reduce energy consumption and operating costs.

Treating vapour condensate – reducing water footprint

A multi-national dairy co-operative wanted to treat its vapour condensate sustainably at a German site and thus reduce its fresh water requirements and operating costs.

Modular process water treatment for easy installation at Ibrahim Fibres Limited in Pakistan

The necessary process water for production facilities and power plants is supplied by EnviroChemie systems technology.

Saving water: full water recycling for a cosmetics manufacturer

A global corporation recycles 90% of the wastewater at its Brazilian cosmetics production site and reuses it in its production processes.

Cost-optimised wastewater treatment in the optical industry

ZEISS Sport Optics considerably reduces disposal costs at its Wetzlar site by using a compact Lugan® 20,000 flotation plant from EnviroChemie.

Recycling glazes from rinsing concentrates for Villeroy & Boch

At its Mettlach site, Villeroy & Boch is able to treat and recycle glazes recovered from its rinsing water using an Envopur® microfiltration plant from EnviroChemie.

Treating and recycling wastewater pays off for CWS-boco

Energy-efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment and water recycling for laundry CWS-boco at its Solingen site, Germany

Energy-efficient wastewater treatment with digital support

At its Saarbrücken site, the ZF technology group can run its wastewater treatment with energy-efficient plant technology and digital support from EnviroChemie.