ADBA inform Treasury of anaerobic digestion economic opportunity

Ahead of their November Autumn statement, The Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) has described the UK’s anaerobic digestion (AD) industry as a huge economic opportunity.

 This week chief executive of ADBA Charlotte Morton has written to Robert Jenrick MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to outline the economic and environmental benefits of AD. Morton described the environmental and economic benefits of AD technology as it converts organic wastes and purpose grown crops into a biogas that fuel renewable heat and power. It can also be used for clean transport fuel as well as a natural fertiliser.

 The letter to the Treasury also included information on how if England were to replicate or even improve, the food waste rate as seen in Scotland, Wales and Northern Island, then it could save English authorities up to £400million in capital costs. It could also save up to £1.1billion in operational costs between 2020 and 2050.

If it were to meet its full potential, then the UK AD industry could meet 30% of the UK’s household gas or electricity demands. It could also then create around 35,000 jobs, predominately in the rural areas where AD plants tend to be based.

Ms Morton wrote in her letter, “With targeted government support for research into our sector, we could supercharge our industry and put it at the cutting edge of agricultural science. Developing new waste management technologies would provide a boon to British exports, but also transform the sector’s performance to eliminate the need for further future subsidy.”  

The full letter sent to the Treasury by ADBA