A £12 million plant which recycles food waste to create electricity for the national grid has opened for business on the A505 between Baldock and Royston.

The Bygrave Lodge anaerobic digestion plant – which is the first of its kind in Hertfordshire – will process 45,000 tonnes of food waste each year from supermarkets, food processors, households and the hospitality industry to generate renewable electricity for up to 4,500 homes across the district.

The plant is run by Biogen, which take food waste from supermarket giants including Ocado and ASDA, as well as local bakeries such as Simmons Bakeries, which have shops in Hitchin, Letchworth and Stevenage.

Biogen commercial operations head Simon Musther said: “The Bygrave plant was developed to serve Hertfordshire and the surrounding regions and although it’s only been up and running a short while, it is already making a positive contribution to local businesses using it.”

Simmons Bakeries director Peter Williams said: “We chose Biogen for our food, waste disposal because of its convenient location, good road access and the great reputation the company has for efficient service.

“Using this method is going to help us cut costs which is essential for a family business like ours.”

The plant also produces a nutrient-rich agricultural fertiliser for use on nearby farmland.