Emma Harper to address the ADBA Scottish Conference

We are delighted to announce that Emma Harper MSP will be delivering a keynote address to the ADBA Scottish conference, joining her colleague Gillian Martin MSP.

Emma has championed AD and Biogas in Scotland, and recently tabled a motion that called for government to focus on AD as a route to decarbonisation, to collaborate to see its success, and also to congratulate ADBA on our work.

We look forward to hearing from Emma about what she has been doing in parliament and what she hopes to see from government in the future

View the full programme and register.

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For further information, contact:

Jocelyne Bia, Head of Corporate Communications, ADBA
e: jocelyne.bia@adbioresources.org; tel: 020 3176 0592

Notes to editors

About ADBA

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) is the trade association for the UK anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas industry. ADBA’s vision is to see the full potential of the UK AD industry realised so it can help the UK achieve its emissions targets and other policy goals, creating a truly circular economy. www.adbioresources.org

About the AD industry

• There are currently over 750 AD plants operational in the UK

• The entire industry digests approximately 36 million tonnes of organic material each year – organic material that would otherwise emit greenhouse gases including highly potent methane, if left untreated in landfill.
• An estimated 21 TWh of biogas is produced each year by the AD industry – this green gas is either used to generate electricity and heat via a combined heat and power (CHP) unit or upgraded to biomethane and injected directly into the national gas grid.
• The industry currently delivers savings of 1% off the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions every year.
• An estimated 4,800 people are currently employed in the AD and biogas industry in the UK.
• Overall, the industry grew by 5 per cent last year as the closure of older, smaller plants was outweighed by big-scale units feeding into the gas grid.
• Fully deployed, by 2050, the UK AD and biogas industry is expected to:
  • produce over 100TWh of biomethane
  • provide between 20% and 50% of UK gas demand
  • create 30,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs.
  • save the UK 27 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent = taking 1/3rd of all cars off the road
  • heat 6.8 million UK homes with the 8 billion m3 of biomethane generated

How AD works

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the natural breakdown of organic matter when deprived of oxygen in a container called digester. The process produces biogas and a residue called digestate – a stable, nutrient-rich substance used as a biofertiliser which restores soil health.