Jupiter Group’s fruit waste powering homes

Biomass from waste generated at Jupiter Group’s prepared fruit plant is producing 10,500 kilowatts of energy each day, enough to power around 2,000 homes. Jupiter Group produce 25-30 tons of fresh fruit waste each week, which is collected by a local farming operation to be converted into power via biomass digesters.

Fruit that does not pass Jupiter’s strict quality tests, alongside the rind, skins, stems and tops are collected weekly to be transformed into energy for local homes. The fresh fruit waste is processed through an anaerobic digester on a farm local to Jupiter’s headquarters, where bacteria breaks down the fruit in the absence of oxygen and naturally produces 10,500kw of energy each day, with 8,000kw exported to power homes close by.

The energy in biogas can be used like natural gas to generate electricity, provide heat and power cooling systems, amongst other uses. In addition to using the biogas produced from the anaerobic digester, the heat from the engine is also utilised to produce kiln dried logs.

Anaerobic digestion is an alternative to landfill as for every ton of food waste recycled by the process, it prevents between 0.5 and 1 ton of CO2 entering the atmosphere. 

Jupiter has also recently launched Prevented Ocean Plastic punnets in partnership with packaging supplier Sharpak Aylesham.