Testimonials

Kedco plc and Agrikomp GmBH announce the signing of a joint venture agreement

Kedco plc and Agrikomp GmBH announce the signing of a joint venture agreement and the setting up of a joint venture company called Agrikomp UK to build agricultural anaerobic digestion plants in the UK and Ireland. Both parties equally own the company. The plants will convert grass and slurry into electricity and heat. The new company Agrikomp UK will be based in Cork, Ireland with an office in Stoneleigh in the UK to service its rapidly growing UK customer base. The company will employ 6 people within the first 12 months of operation. Kedco and Agrikomp have been working together for the past 12 months as a result the company has 20 projects in its pipeline already. The vast majority of these are in Great Britain and Northern Ireland where government incentives for the generation of renewable energy are very favourable.

Kedco welcomes the report by Bord Gais published last week on the opportunity in Ireland to produce renewable energy from grass and farm wastes. The Anaerobic Digestion process used to convert the wastes into power improves the nutrient availability in farmyard wastes and reduces the odours from slurries. At the same time it produces energy and helps in the reduction of harmful greenhouse gases produced by farm animal wastes. The implementation of this process will in the view of the partners create a significant amount of sustainable jobs in rural regions.

About the partners

Agrikmop GmbH

The AgriKomp GmbH founders have been closely involved in the production of biogas plants since the 1990s. With the development and construction of high-performance and energy-saving components, which have been tested to a commercial level in its own biogas plants, this company from Central Franconia in Germany has defined new standards on a European scale. AgriKomp GmbH supplies reliable, high-efficiency biogas plants ranging from40 kW to 1.5 MW in size, with dependable after sales service and competent supportive laboratory work.

Agrikomp have already nearly 400 biogas plants, from 40 kW to 1,5 MW in operation throughout Europe. Having a total installed power generation capacity of 150 MW, they are among the leading German biogas plant manufacturers with 250 employees working for AgriKomp worldwide.

Kedco plc

Kedco is an Irish company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. It was established in 2005 as an energy group focusing on the production of electricity and heat using clean technologies. Kedco specialises in power generation from biomass fuel sources including agricultural waste. Kedco currently comprises of two divisions, Kedco Power, and Kedco Vudlande. Kedco Power constitutes the principal focus of the Kedco Group specialising in electrical power generation from agricultural waste and biomass fuel sources. SIA Vudlande is a Latvian based forestry company that produces biomass and wood products. This division also acts as a backup fuel supply to Kedco biomass plants. Kedco has six advance stage projects, two of which are currently under construction. Four others are ready to commence construction in the next 12 months. Five of these projects have full planning approval and the remaining project is awaiting final approval that is expected to be granted within the next 6 months. These six projects have a combined Mega Watt (MW) output of 22 MW per hour or 176,000 MW per year.

Kedco currently has 70 employees in the UK, Ireland and Eastern Europe.

Sector

The clean-tech sector is currently the fastest growing industrial sector in Europe. It is predicted to grow even more over the next 20 years. The biomass sector is one of the fastest growth areas within the clean-tech sector. Kedco and Agrikomp are at the forefront of taking advantage of this growth and have ambitions to lead it. The biomass clean-tech sector offers exceptional opportunities for the creation of long-term transparent re-occurring revenues streams.

Quote from CEO of Kedco plc: Donal Buckley

“We believe that the biomass clean-tech sector is currently at the same stage as the wind industry was five years ago. This represents an enormous opportunity for growth for both Kedco and Agrikomp in the UK and Irish markets. Kedco believes Agrikomp are the perfect partner to achieve success in this market. “

 

Our Success Stories

 

Ireland's First Commercial Gasification Unit

Kedco forges strong relationships with leading providers of energy technologies, to offer the most efficient and state of the art modular biomass CHP generation plants.

 

With our partners in gasification and biogas engines, we are developing a highly efficient modular biomass system to convert biomass into a clean fuel gas stream through the process of gasification. This gas is then combusted in an engine, generating electricty and heat. The modular nature of the plant makes it ideal for fast installation, reduced site preparation costs and has a small foot print.

 

Our partner for this technology has been working in the field of modular biopower since 1999, and they are the world’s leading provider of small modular bioenergy systems. They have developed a highly efficient downdraft gasifier that converts biomass residues into a renewable gas stream. The system is fully automated, comes grid connection ready and is capable of mass production.

 

Our technology partner have sold commercial modular biopower systems to customers in the local micro-generation sector, in addition to providing modular biopower technologies, products and services to energy research institutes worldwide. The provider has also designed, developed and demonstrated first-of-a-kind biopower technologies and products, and have validated them in the commercial market. This technology converts difficult but abundant biomass feedstocks into the full range of energy products (heat, electric power and liquid fuels). Additionally it also has developed an efficient and commercially viable system to generate syndiesel from biomass feedstocks.
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Overview of Success

Achievement and hard work are strong attributes in Kedco. The dedication and expertise of its people are demonstrated through the phenomenal achievements the company has made to date.

Kedco has achieved

Planning & Joint Ventures

  • 5 full planning permission for electrical generating plants
  • 4 Joint Venture Agreements signed and completed

Technology and Electricity Generation

  • 100kW gasfier running and connected to the national electricity grid in Cork, Ireland
  • 800 biomass boilers installed ranging from 16kW to 1.6 MW
  • 2MW project is in final permitting expected on stream in 2011
  • Further 12 projects with Letters of Intent with a potential aggregate capcity of 32 MW

Latvia Plant

  • Latvian business sales growth of 500% in 4 years

Newry Project

  • 24 months from project concept through planning and construction to date
  • 2MW gasifier 6 months from completion post finance
  • 4MW 6 months later
 

Vudlande - Latvia

Vudlande was founded in 1994 by current MD Maris Zalitis as a timber processing business. Over the years Maris successfully grew this business and developed the facilities on site, reaching a point where Vudlande joined in partnership with Kedco in May 2006. From there both parties set about upgrading the facilities to world class manufacturing standards, while successfully growing the business in parallel. Vudlande is on target to turn-over in excess of €7m in the current financial year 2009/2010.

 

Business Development

 

The Vudlande business has been in existence since 1994 at the current site. It began life as a basic processor of carcassing timber into local businesses and traders. Over the years from its foundation to 2005, Vudlande gradually grew its business and expanded its facilities on site. At this point it became apparent to its founder Maris Zalitis that the business required a substantial investment in both capital and managerial input to bring the growing business to the next level, and compete internationally for a more sophisticated market share.

 

At this point, May 2006, Kedco entered into an 80/20 partnership with Maris Zalitis, and so set in motion a series of steps that have lead the site through considerable modernisation, capacity expansion, increased product range, and overall business development. In 2004 Vudlande had a net turnover of €1.6m, for the financial year 2009/10, turnover will be in the region of €7m with an EBITDA of €1.2m.

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