A new £20m biogas plant in Parley, Dorset, is turning discarded food into enough gas to heat up to 7,000 homes.
Built at Eco Sustainable Solutions’ site, the facility can process more than 50,000 tonnes of food waste each year from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. The resulting biomethane is fed directly into the gas network.
From food waste to energy and fertiliser
The plant can recycle more than 1,000 tonnes of food waste a week. Alongside the gas, it produces a nutrient-rich biofertiliser for agriculture.
Construction began in 2024 and created 50 jobs. The completed facility employs six full-time operators and forms part of Eco’s 40-acre eco park in Parley. The company also has sites in Piddlehinton and Weymouth.
The opening follows more than a decade since planning permission was granted. It adds to Eco’s record of recycling more than 4.3 million tonnes of material, including wood, green waste, road sweepings and food waste, for local authority and other contracts.
Why it matters for Britain
The plant gives food waste from the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area a practical second use, supplying biomethane to the local gas network while creating fertiliser for farming. It has also brought construction work and six permanent operating roles to Dorset.
