An award-winning renewable energy firm near Poundbury has been taken over by a global low-carbon energy company.

ENGIE has announced its successful acquisition of Rainbarrow Farm, an anaerobic digestion facility between Poundbury and Martinstown.

Anaerobic digestion is the natural process where plant and animal materials (biomass) are broken down by micro-organisms in the absence of air- creating Biogas - a renewable energy.

The plant has been providing this energy to the local community for over a decade and provides enough renewable gas to power 3,500 homes and renewable electricity to power 628 homes, making it one of the biggest renewable energy generators in the county.

Following an announcement in September 2023 of ENGIE’s acquisition of Ixora Energy Ltd, a leading UK-based biomethane producer, Rainbarrow Farm will now be joining ENGIE's growing portfolio of anaerobic digestion plants, supporting its ambitions in the renewable gas industry in the UK .

Stuart Rennie, managing director of ENGIE Renewable Gases UK, said: "By working with the local community in the Poundbury area of Dorchester and across Dorset, this site is a perfect example of how a circular economy can be created through biomethane, a renewable and locally produced energy, consumed in the town of Poundbury, and which provides sustainable solutions that support local businesses.

"This acquisition is another important step in the expansion of our renewable gas portfolio in the fast-growing UK market.

"Rainbarrow Farm is providing the community with much-needed renewable energy, and is contributing to the country's energy transition and its energy sovereignty."

The Biogas produced at Rainbarrow Farm comes through the breakdown of agricultural feedstocks such as farm waste, food production by-products and sustainably grown crops.

This is then processed to generate renewable gas and electricity for local networks. This process helps reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and supports the transition to a circular economy.

Last year ENGIE turned over €82.6 billion (£70.6 billion) and has 97,000 employees, clients, partners and stakeholders, working towards its aims of accelerating the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy.

It is looking to do this by reducing energy consumption and by providing more environmentally friendly solutions to energy use.