ADBA Scottish Conference

ADBA is the UK’s trade association body for anaerobic digestion and bioresources. At the 2023 conference in Scotland, ADBA re-established the rationale for Anaerobic Digestion – or AD, as it is commonly referred to – and biogas as the Scottish Government looks to achieve net zero by 2045 – 5 years ahead of the UK as a whole. Having established the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of AD in Scotland last year, we intend to outline the ‘when’, the ‘where’ and the ‘how’ at this year’s conference.

The announcement on 18 April that the Scottish Government was dropping its targets to reduce carbon emissions by 75% to 1990 levels by 2030, and introducing a new set of measures to achieve Net Zero by 2045, will undoubtedly drive proceedings at the conference — with Scotland’s Energy Minister to address the event alongside representatives from the leading opposition parties on what is expected to be a General Election year (see ADBA’s press release).

Following a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the future of AD in Scotland, we will be using our conference to restate the case for it, outline the industry’s asks of both the Scottish and the UK Governments to enhance the capacity of it in Scotland and engage with key sectors prominent in the economy, namely oil and gas, food and drink and farming.

For already-established AD businesses in Scotland, we will provide regulatory and legislative updates, thought-leadership and best practice and exhibition of the newest technology and techniques to optimise and galvanise your operations.

For those in those industries who are interested in AD, want to find out more about it, we will outline why and how you can make it part of your organisation’s sustainability plans, particularly as focus turns to scope 3 emissions. Our event will platform sessions that provide practical advice from legislators, regulators and similar organisations that have been there, done it and can share their journey with you. We will tackle some of the commonly-held misconceptions and provide ample opportunity for you to network and discuss any misapprehensions you have in starting your journey and investing in AD.

Come to the ADBA Scottish Conference on 23rd May in Aberdeen. We look forward to seeing you there and to driving forward the growth of AD in Scotland!

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Background

Scotland was the UK’s engine room during the industrial revolution, its oil and gas industry was the recent basis of the UK’s economic growth and its natural resources and renewable energy potential are poised to be the powerhouse of the UK’s green economy. The International Energy Association forecast AD will be the second-fastest growing sector across the world by 2050. If Scotland were to grow in line with that, it would have approximately 180 AD plants by 2030. To realise this potential and secure AD as a back-up to the energy grid amongst other benefits, we need the Scottish Government to provide a regulatory and policy landscape conducive to growth — unleashing the potential of our industry in Scotland.

Scottish Government needs to recognise AD’s opportunities to help achieve our net zero targets, to decarbonise hard-to-reach sectors such as agriculture and transport, to be a central pillar in the operation of Scotland’s circular economy and to provide coherence to Scotland’s just transition in a way that joins up the oil and gas sector with others such as farming.