Launched in 2025 under the ownership of energy infrastructure firm VTTI, VIDA bioenergy is a biomethane plant in Wormslade, outside Market Harborough.
The facility turns sustainable organic material into energy, producing clean energy products such as biomethane, biogenic CO2, and organic fertiliser. It has equipped its employees with Blacklineโs G8 portable gas detectors, enabling the company to consolidate lone worker connectivity, gas detection, and communication into a single device. The operations come with the inherent risk of exposure to gases, hazardous or contaminated water, explosions from hot work or combustible gas, confined space entry, and lone work. Blacklineโs technology was already being used by one of the UK plantโs sister sites
Dr Gary Cartwright, Plant Manager at VIDA bioenergy, said: โOur goal is to not only ensure that our employees enjoy their work, but that they go home safe, and Blackline’s features and very comprehensive package made it a perfect solution for us. I had free choice to go anywhere I liked, but Blacklineโs offering was just so good, so robust and, in my view, the best on the market. It gives the team confidence that work is as safe as it could possibly be.”
The monitors remotely monitor gas levels, with the ability to detect multiple gases at once. They can also be bump tested and calibrated on site without ethernet or Wi-Fi connections, which can reduce downtime. Pump cartridges can be remotely swapped, so that workers are equipped for confined space entry without carrying extra tools.
The same device provides real-time alerts for falls, no-motion, and missed check-ins, plus silent and emergency SOS backed by dual-band GPS/GNSS and 4G LTE connectivity that pinpoints workersโ locations. The productโs push-to-talk capabilities (using the device like a walkie-talkie) means workers have communication while only needing to carry one device. Text messaging for mass notifications is also built into the monitor.
Supported by 24/7 live monitoring through Blacklineโs in-house Safety Operations Center (SOC) or global Alarm Receiving Center (ARC) partners, the G8 monitor ensures alerts reach a real person who can respond in real time. Alerts are received in fewer than two seconds and responded to by agents in fewer than 60 seconds, the supplier adds. As for data and analytics reporting by Blackline Analytics, which automates compliance reporting, the G8 detectors help Cartwrightโs team catch trends in exposure or inefficiency before they become bigger problems. Any issues can then be resolved before the companyโs annual environmental operating permit review.
