Environmental sustainability is at the core of our business ethos here at Skyview - and we love to work with likeminded companies who share our mission to protect the environment. Working with Biogen since 2005, we have witnessed their environmental efforts go from strength to strength. We are proud to partner Biogen in the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) field to ensure the safe and efficient running of their AD sites. Having previously worked at various individual Biogen locations to date, we were delighted to be asked to roll out a programme of installations of fully automatic weather monitoring and data recording systems, across multiple AD sites nationwide.
About Biogen
Award-winning Biogen is the UK's leading operator of AD plants. With over 20 years of working in the food waste recycling industry, Biogen runs 14 AD plants in total and six composting sites around the UK, which recycle around a half of a million tonnes of organic waste each year, generating 25MW of green electricity for the national grid. Biogen’s aim has always been to improve waste management method and the group were thrilled to be named “Recycling Business of the Year” at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management in 2016.
The Challenge
The main challenge for AD site operators is odour control. Strictly regulated by the Environment Agency and other governing bodies, site managers have a duty to adhere to the highest environmental and safety standards. A sound Odour Management Plan is in place, in order to prevent or minimise emissions, pollution or annoyance beyond the site boundary.
Among other requirements, the Environment Agency’s Standard Rules 2012 No 12 states that “The operator shall … undertake monitoring for the parameters … maintain records of all monitoring required by these standard rules including records of the taking and analysis of samples, instrument measurements (periodic and continual), calibrations, examinations, tests and surveys and any assessment or evaluation made on the basis of such data”.
Wind direction, velocity and air temperature have a direct impact on odour control and should be monitored accurately in order to assess risks to site, the local community and the environment as a whole. This vital data can then inform crucial decision-making in terms of site activities.
Our Solution
Our skilled engineers consulted with the management teams at Biogen to roll out a nationwide programme of installations to supply each AD site with its own weather monitoring system with sensors to monitor wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure and rainfall.
Data from each weather station is then disseminated to Biogen’s bespoke page on Skyview’s Skylink-pro.com weather monitoring portal. Skylink-pro.com enables Biogen to analyse real-time weather data for on-site monitoring or access historical reports from any requested time period for legal compliance or to support odour-related investigations. Biogen site managers can assess their chosen weather parameters from any internet-enabled device, as well as using the “partner site” function to stay abreast of alerts nationwide - a must for site managers with more than one site or location to monitor.
Each site is covered by our service and calibration agreement, so each site manager can rest reassured that our engineers are on hand throughout the year for any rescue visits that may be necessary. We also visit each site annually to service and calibrate this vital equipment and ensure that all systems are performing efficiently and accurately.
