Can the R&D Hub help your business cope with a falling FIT? Access free academic support for SMEs

As Ofgem's FITs tariff tables show, the Feed-in Tariff is now 9.4 pence/ kWhe for 250-500 kWe plants. We already know it  will fall 10% on 1 October and a further ~10% on 1 April 2016, unless we can pursuade Government to make changes to the tariffs and degression mechanism in the review later this summer. If this year-on-year 20% cut comes into effect, taking the tariff to around 7.5p/kWh, most predict that the industry will struggle to continue to deploy new projects. The market report we will be publishing at UK AD&Biogas 2015 will set out our projections for future development.

Whatever the outcome of the FIT review, tariffs are likely to continue to fall at some rate. The question, then, is how can the industry adapt?

The Government believes innovation is the only answer. Former DECC minister Greg Barker was keen to trumpt that through policy, the department is “…squeezing subsidy. Driving cost innovation…”. We would also argue that recognising non-energy benefits of anaerobic digestion, particularly around greenhouse gas saving and nutrient recycling, is vital – but improving efficiency lies more within our control. 

So the R&D Hub at UK AD&Biogas comes at an important time for the industry. The industry is looking at how innovation can reduce capital and operational costs, improve access to lower-cost, higher quality feedstocks, and improve energy and fertiliser outputs. 

The R&D Hub will showcase the latest innovations in these areas. See the programme for Day 1 here and Day 2 here. The Hub is an informal area in the heart of the trade show where researchers and innovators tell us about their work and how it is supporting the industry.

What's even more exciting is that small businesses can apply to receive free support from the UK's world-leading academic AD research base. This is through the Business Innovation Vouchers (BIVs) that Angela Bywater of the ADNetwork will be talking about on Day One, 1 July.

I hope to see you there.