Spondon facility to turn city food waste into energy

Food waste from about 100,000 homes in Derby will be turned into renewable energy at a food waste and green gas plant from Tuesday.

Derby City Council said the waste would be taken to the Severn Trent Green Power anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Spondon to be processed into renewable energy.

Most households in England will have a weekly food waste collection by early 2026, and there will now be a standardised list of items that councils must recycle.

Severn Trent Green Power estimates Derby's food waste will annually generate enough energy to power more than 1,000 homes.

Grey kitchen caddies have been delivered to homes for food waste to be collected and then transferred to a larger green caddy on bin day.

The waste will be taken to Severn Trent Green Power's plant in Megaloughton Lane.

The council said the converted renewable energy from the waste would be injected into the national gas network to power homes and businesses.

AD is a natural process where micro-organisms break down food waste without oxygen, producing biogas for energy and a nutrient-rich fertiliser for farmland.

"This ensures that unavoidable food waste is reused rather than wasted," the council added.

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, cabinet member for street pride, parks and leisure, said: "Launching food waste collections is a major step forward for Derby.

"It's about making it easier for residents to do the right thing, while also creating something positive from waste.

"By working together, we can reduce what goes to landfill and turn everyday food waste into energy that benefits our communities."

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