RICHARD GUETERBOCK: AD POLICY REQ
thwarted by policy makers
B
ritain’s food and beverage processing sector is being urged by major retailers and other stakeholders to reduce energy use, cut its carbon
footprint, restrict water consumption and pay more attention to its environmental impact. Businesses are looking for sustainable deployment of anaerobic digestion (AD) to treat production residues is one option. The lead government department DEFRA
is keen to see AD plants installed at locations where biodegradable residues are generated – not just industrial sites but also on livestock farms and in rural communities. These of biodegradable residues and access to green energy. It is important to recognise how diverse
the AD industry is becoming in this country. Britain lags behind other EU countries in terms of the number of plants, but emerging to develop the market.
unacceptable means of disposal, other options are needed. In January 2014, Scotland introduced a ban on food residues being wastes should be excluded. The ban extends to sewer discharge of liquid production residues. Policy makers for England should introduce similar measures.
beverage processors can be tailored to the available feedstocks and will reduce the site’s treatment and disposal costs. The energy generated can be used on the site, qualifying for renewable energy incentives.
Government support for development of on-site AD
must improve, says Cleareau’s Richard Gueterbock
The future development of AD in the UK
is likely to be increasingly focused on smaller plants that can deliver effective solutions at a local level. However, with innovative British technology providers being thwarted by confused policy making, particularly in DECC, development of smaller–scale AD technology innovation from WRAP. In the past two years Government policy has undermined smaller–scale digestion, 20% in April 2014, with further 10% cuts previous Government sought to encourage accreditation of plants, most of which will never get built, will do the opposite. However, policy makers want to limit the carbon footprint of food production and the environmental impact of livestock production. Although DECC and DEFRA development is being inhibited and more
farm AD plants are being built to process crops like maize, which do not offer the Also for more remote rural areas, small
scale AD can provide a solution for locally generated food waste. In Germany, the market leader in Europe, food waste is at present, regulations prevent farmers with smaller AD plants from taking in food residues from their local communities. Local digestion of food waste is something that must be addressed with some urgency. Scale is an issue in the AD market, both
in terms of risk (risks on larger plants can be greater than on smaller units) but also reward. If the Government wants to they should provide an incentive that is commensurate with the scale of the plant. With current FIT degression rules, larger AD plants could eventually receive a higher incentive rate than smaller ones. renewables. It must do more to stimulate development of British technology, encourage British companies, and therefore create British jobs.
REQ
Richard Gueterbock is Marketing and Communications Director at Clearfleau
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 844 477 6292
www.clear
eau.com
On-site AD plant at Nestlé’s Fawdon Confectionery Site
26 REQ RENEWABLE ENERGY QUARTERLY |
|
AUTUMN 2014
www.r-e-a.net
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40