Installation
Common AD Installation Problems
Most installation delays trace back to something outside the digester itself — late decisions, incomplete groundworks or an unclear division of responsibility.
8 min readRead Guide
Installation
What Should a Farmer Have Ready Before an AD Installation Begins?
A short readiness check before the installation team arrives catches most of what causes delay. Here's what it should cover, in one place.
8 min read · Reviewed September 2026
Quick Answer
Before an AD installation team arrives, a farm should have its scope and layout confirmed, groundworks and concrete substantially complete, slurry and pipework routes agreed, electrical preparation coordinated, equipment and fabricated components accounted for, and delivery logistics arranged. A short readiness check against each of these areas catches most avoidable delays before they become expensive.
Key Points
- Readiness spans project information, site, concrete, slurry, pipework, electrical, equipment and logistics
- Most items are cheap to resolve on paper and expensive to resolve once installation has started
- Outstanding decisions and unresolved drawing changes are worth closing out explicitly, not left open
- This checklist is a starting point for a farm's own readiness conversation, not a substitute for it
Why a readiness check is worth doing properly
Most of the problems covered in our guide on common AD installation problems are avoidable with a structured check before the installation team and equipment arrive. This isn't about perfection — it's about catching the items that are cheap to fix now and expensive to fix later.
Project information
- Scope agreed between farmer, CBB, manufacturer and specialist contractors
- Layout approved and unchanged since groundworks began
- Responsibilities for each work package clearly assigned
- Key contacts and site emergency information confirmed
Site
- Access confirmed for delivery vehicles, cranes and concrete wagons
- Working area cleared and available
- Levels checked against the approved layout
- Ground preparation complete
- Known underground and overhead services identified and marked
Concrete
- Bases completed to the approved dimensions
- Tank structures completed where required
- Curing time and strength appropriate for the loads involved
- Penetrations and fixings checked against equipment requirements
Slurry
- Feedstock source and collection route confirmed
- Transfer arrangement agreed
- Relevant tanks ready and assessed as suitable
- Pump position and duty agreed
Pipework
- Routes agreed for slurry, digestate and other services
- Trenching complete where appropriate
- Pipe penetrations checked against actual equipment positions
Electrical
- Electrical contractor coordinated with the wider programme
- Cable routes and ducts ready
- Supply and connection requirements understood and confirmed
Equipment
- Pumps and mixers available or delivery confirmed
- Valves and fittings available
- Fabricated components available
- Principal plant delivery date confirmed
Logistics
- Unloading arrangement agreed
- Crane or lifting arrangements confirmed where needed
- Delivery access checked for the actual vehicles involved
- Storage area available for materials and components
- Weather contingency considered for the delivery window
Documents and decisions
- Drawings current and matched to what's actually being built
- Agreed changes closed out and reflected in the drawings
- Any remaining unresolved decisions identified and owned by someone
Using this as a working document
The value of a checklist like this isn't in ticking every box in isolation — it's in surfacing the two or three items on a given project that genuinely aren't ready yet, while there's still time to sort them out. Worth revisiting a few weeks before delivery, and again just before the installation team is due on site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Related AD Guides
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PLANNING AN AD INSTALLATION?
Need help with the practical side of an AD project?
Charlie Bell Building supports farm-scale anaerobic digestion installations from site preparation and groundworks through to equipment installation and commissioning support.