Middlesborough - Bran Sands

Middlesbrough - Bran Sands

Located in Middlesbrough, Bran Sands is one of Northumbrian Water’s largest sites. Originally home to the UK’s largest thermal sludge dryer, the site was reviewed in 2005 due to high energy use and maintenance demands.

The upgrade introduced Cambi’s Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP), anaerobic digesters, and combined heat and power (CHP) units, while reusing existing infrastructure. The new system halved the volume of sludge cake, reducing disposal needs and producing a high-quality output.

Before switching to gas-to-grid in 2020, CHP met about half the site’s energy demand. Now, the biomethane produced can power around 5,000 homes. The move to advanced digestion has also reduced annual carbon emissions by an estimated 50,000–62,000 tonnes.

Bran Sands and Howdon together treat all sewage sludge across Northumbrian Water’s service area using THP technology.