What industry leaders want to hear from Lord de Mauley

Lord de Mauley, Defra Minister for Resource Management, will be speaking at the UK’s largest dedicated anaerobic digestion and biogas trade show UK AD & Biogas 2013, 3-4 July, NEC Birmingham, on ‘Realising environmental benefits from managing food waste’ (2pm, 3 July, conference theatre*). We have asked industry leaders what they would like to hear from Lord de Mauley, here is what they said:

Conference speaker Richard Swannell, Director of Sustainable Food Systems, WRAP

As usual, ADBA has developed a varied and interesting conference programme with high profile and well respected speakers which is supported by a comprehensive set of seminars. Lord de Mauley’s attendance only serves to highlight the fact that AD plays a key role in the government’s food waste strategy and one that WRAP supports through our various programmes including Driving Innovation in AD and Digestate & Compost in Agriculture. To find out more about WRAP’s work please visit us at stand E69.

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive, ADBA

Lord de Mauley has one of the most interesting remits in government, with waste reduction, sustainable use of resources and the transition to a circular economy rising up the political agenda. These policy areas are already contributing a huge amount to the UK economy, and offer significant potential for green growth, including through the expansion of the anaerobic digestion industry which has almost doubled in size in the last year. I look forward to hearing how Lord de Mauley’s view on AD’s role in sustainable waste treatment is evolving and his vision for reducing food waste to landfill.

Seminar speaker James Miles-Hobbs, Director, Rural Development Associates Limited and Winner of Farmers Weekly “Farm Adviser of The Year” 2011

I would like to hear how Defra is going to get a more level playing field for food waste AD operators on their day-to-day environmental requirements, compared to their European competitors.

 

The most interesting thing I am looking forward to is hearing about the changing marketplace for food waste and changing attitudes from the food and drink industry.

Alan Lovell, Chairman, Tamar Energy, headline sponsor of UK AD & Biogas 2013

Lord de Mauley’s visit to UK AD & Biogas 2013 is well-timed; he will witness an industry ready to meet the ambition for AD and find the reassurance needed that the food waste recycling infrastructure within the UK will, most certainly, be in place by the end of this decade. Tamar Energy is committed to building a UK-wide network of AD plants to generate 100 MW of renewable electricity, divert food waste from landfill and provide valuable biofertiliser – showcasing the valuable contribution of AD to both the UK’s renewable energy and waste management strategies.

Alan Midwinter, Project Manager, Scotia Gas Networks (SGN)

It’s important that government takes a joined up approach to resolving the barriers blocking the biomethane injection industry. Only when all relevant government departments and agencies begin working fully together, will we see the huge increase in anaerobic digestion and biogas which this government promised us.

Gwyn Jones, ADBA Board Director and former Vice President, NFU

I would like Lord de Mauley to give the AD industry some stability – a strong political steer which recognises and supports AD is very much needed. The highlight of the event for me is the land use, sustainable use of natural resource, sustainable intensification theme, which all leads to the sustainable development of AD. Anaerobic digestion ticks so many boxes and I think many are yet to realise the opportunities it provides, and I am glad to say that this country is rapidly becoming a leader in the field.

Andy Eastlake, Managing Director, Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP)

The LowCVP’s recent report on the potential for cutting carbon from trucks identified biomethane as one of the leading opportunities for carbon reduction in the HGV sector. The UK needs a clear strategy to deliver that potential. We hope ADBA’s trade show and conference will advance industry and government collaboration and help to develop the pathways and policies required to grow this important market.

Angela Bywater, Director, Methanogen UK

We have found Defra to be hugely helpful in so many ways – though of course there is always more to be done. If I had one message for Lord de Mauley it would be to work with DECC to ensure that the support, in terms of coherent policy and financial incentives, is in place to deliver both DECC’s climate change objectives and Defra’s goals for environmental stewardship, from both food waste and other organics.

Michael Chesshire, Director, Evergreen Gas

Defra’s continued support for manure-based on-farm anaerobic digestion is essential to the development of appropriately-scaled AD technologies for farmers to reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint.

Callum Johnson, Transport Manager, London Borough of Camden

The highlight of the trade show for me will be the focus on using biomethane in transport fleets, and hearing what Lord de Mauley has to say about what long term stimuli will the government introduce to make the emerging biogas market an attractive and sustainable opportunity for commercial investors.

Seminar speaker Richard Gueterbock, Director, Clearfleau

Defra’s support for initiatives to develop on-site AD plants on food processing sites – such as Nestle’s Fawdon site in Newcastle – as well as on-farm and community projects, has been appreciated. These are sectors where emerging British companies are taking the lead in developing innovative smaller-scale AD technologies. However, it should be recognised that this growing market, and the jobs that are being created, has been slower to develop than other sectors applying AD and is now being jeopardised by unwelcome changes to the FIT incentive regime. Inequitable FIT ‘degression’ will undermine the development of this emerging market and it is important that DECC and Defra resolve this issue before it harms British companies.

Callum Johnson, Transport Manager, London Borough of Camden

The highlight of the trade show for me will be the focus on using biomethane in transport fleets, and hearing what Lord de Mauley has to say about what long term stimuli the government will introduce to make the emerging biogas market an attractive and sustainable opportunity for commercial investors.

Nigel Horan, Reader at University of Leeds and Director at Aqua Enviro

Encouraging long-term investments in environmentally beneficial capital projects, such as anaerobic digestion, requires investor confidence in the long-term security of subsidies, and in stable environmental regulations. Consistent regulations covering treatment and recycling of all organic waste streams would permit better technology transfer between the water and waste sectors and ensure more efficient resource recovery.

Kevin Clarke, Business Development Manager for Waste to Energy, Imtech one of the 240 exhibitors at UK AD & Biogas 2013

Our clients continue to wrestle with serious project limiting factors associated with feedstock security and digestate management. So positive progress on the government’s promise to consider food waste bans to landfill, and on moves for source segregated collection requirements, along with certainty around the PAS110 review and the developing EU end of waste criteria would all be well received.

Stuart Hayward-Higham, Development Director, SITA who will be speaking in the conference on how food waste collections are meeting the needs of different clients

We are in the middle of a fascinating transition time for the recycling and waste management industry. The first practical examples of the circular economy are underway and the principle itself is gaining traction across both business and government. Moving away from the linear resource use model will make a major contribution to economic growth and sustainable living but it needs everyone to work together. Government engagement is essential and as such we welcome Lord de Mauley taking a proactive approach and working with industry.

*Session times and titles are subject to change, check out the latest conference and seminar.