‘Momentum is building’ for anaerobic digestion, says ADBA CEO

As the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) conference drew to a close at Birmingham’s NEC Arena, Charlotte Morton sounded a note of defiance in what has been an increasingly challenging environment for the industry.

“Momentum is building”, the ADBA Chief Executive told Bioenergy Insight in an exclusive interview, describing the 2017 edition of the conference as “the most positive in a while.”

Speaking about the UK specifically, she described optimism in the industry about overcoming challenges such as confusion about the Renewable Heating Incentive. “There is faith we will get through the uncertainty, that the new government will pass the much promised legislation.”

Morton stressed that the biggest struggle, locally and globally, was “getting the message out,” explaining to politicians, to investors and to the general public the crucial contributions anaerobic digestion (AD) can make to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Change Commitments. She pointed to a growing global community with a shared goal as the solution to that problem, highlighting the World Biogas Association (WBA), which ADBA was a founding member of, as an example of effective international collaboration pushing the AD message.

“There are lots of good things going on around the world that we need to share,” Morton said. “The industry will grow faster and better the more we share.” For her, that is the vital role that ADBA and the WBA need to play.

Realising and sharing the enormous potential of AD to provide benefits in terms of combating climate change and meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals are key to attracting new supporters and investors to the industry. The ADBA Chief Executive  stressed that this needs to happen now, if we stand any chance of mitigating the worst impacts of climate change and protecting the environment on which we all depend.

“We need to speed things up, we need change now,” Morton stressed.

 

This article was written by Daryl Worthington, assistant editor of Bioenergy Insight