A new renewable energy facility in Lincolnshire, England has been granted an environmental permit to process more than 40,000 tonnes of agricultural waste and crops each year, turning it into green gas for the national grid.
The Environment Agency has approved the permit for VIDA Bioenergy Glentham Limited to operate its anaerobic digestion (AD) plant on Barff Lane, Glentham, near Market Rasen.
The plant will take in maize, straw, chicken manure, potato waste and other farmyard manures, breaking them down through an anaerobic digestion process.
The resulting biogas will be upgraded and injected into the gas grid, while the solid and liquid digestate by-products will be used as soil improvers and irrigation fertiliser on nearby farmland.
The facility will operate two identical treatment lines, each retaining feedstock in a plug flow reactor for about 25 days. The liquid digestate will be stored in a lagoon fitted with an enclosed carbon filter abatement system to help prevent odour emissions.
The Environment Agency said that emissions from the site — mainly from backup combustion equipment and pressure relief valves — had been assessed in line with technical guidance, with limits set to ensure protection for nearby residents.
The plant sits about 800 metres from Glentham village, with the nearest home just over 700 metres away.
The permit application was originally lodged in July 2024, with further technical submissions made throughout spring and summer 2025, including updates to odour management plans, risk assessments, and energy efficiency measures.
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “This permit allows VIDA Bioenergy to generate renewable gas in a way that protects people and the environment. We will continue to regulate the site to ensure the company complies with all permit conditions.”
VIDA Bioenergy says the project will contribute to the UK’s renewable energy targets while providing a sustainable use for agricultural by-products in the region.
Green light given for Vida Bioenergy’s Glentham biogas plant
