AD electrical capacity exceeds 500MWe

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has announced that the anaerobic digestion (AD) industry now delivers an electrical equivalent capacity (electricity and biomethane) of 514MW across 411 plants in the farming, waste and water sectors.

Commenting on this progress, ADBA's CEO Charlotte Morton says: 'ADBA's market data now shows that AD offers over 500MWe electrical equivalent capacity – more capacity than one of the UK's nuclear power plants, Wylfa, which is being decommissioned this year.

'This capacity is extremely valuable because AD generates low carbon baseload or dispatchable power, helping to keep the lights on and balance the output from intermittent renewables such as wind and solar.'

Morton continues: 'Despite this, however, further growth in capacity is being hindered by the government's decisions to remove Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs) in the summer budget – a cut that ADBA estimates will cost the AD industry £11 million (€15 million) – and to fast-track a four week consultation aimed at removing pre-accreditation from the Feed-in Tariff.

'To continue to expand the industry needs viable support in the forthcoming FIT review, and an RHI budget which will support new green gas. AD has the potential to meet 30% of UK domestic gas demand, and overall it could cut UK greenhouse gas emissions by 4% and support food security and production.'