Sustainability networking event

Posted 4 April 2011

A range of business representatives visited Harper Adams recently to learn about the University College’s new Anaerobic Digestion Plant and its approach to sustainability.

The event was organised by Harper Adams and The Prince’s MayDay Network- a collaboration of UK businesses, organised by Business in the Community, that are committed to action on climate change.

During the morning, the delegates heard from Joan Cockburn, from Business in the Community, Principal of Harper Adams, Dr David Llewellyn and Estates and Facilities Manager, Paul Moran.

There was also a question and answer session and a tour of the Anaerobic Digester (AD), which is due to open this spring and turn food and farm waste into green electricity and a valuable bio-fertiliser for farmland.

Mrs Cockburn explained that the MayDay Network, which was launched by The Prince of Wales, was a membership led coalition of UK businesses - all committed to action on climate change.

She said: “We ask members to take a journey, looking at carbon emissions and how to manage and reduce them. We also look at how employees can be involved in sustainability for future generations.”

David Llewellyn, commented that: “Universities are places of innovation, and I like to think that we are making our mark in sustainable technologies with the use of renewable energy systems in a number of our buildings and now the Anaerobic Digester.

“We work closely with the food chain and that inevitably means that we have to take account of the waste products from the agri-food sector, to minimise waste and, where that is not possible, to put it to alternative uses. 

"We won competitive funding made available to the Higher Education sector to enable us to build the AD unit. Thirty nine institutions took part and three, including Harper Adams, were successful.

“Developments of this scale are often going to be collaborative ventures and we are delighted to be working with Biogen Greenfinch and E.ON UK on this project."  

Paul Moran said the AD and the history of sustainability projects at Harper Adams started in 2002 when the Bamford Library was built and added that: “We are committed to turning our mission statement into a reality- to see a sustainable food chain and rural economy.”

To find out more about The Prince’s MayDay Network go to www maydaynetwork.com. To find out more about the Anaerobic Digester project, go to www.haenergy.co.uk