UK AD & Biogas and World Biogas Expo to discuss future of UK farming

The contribution that anaerobic digestion (AD) can make to supporting UK farmers post-CAP will be a central theme of UK AD & Biogas and World Biogas Expo, the leading global tradeshow for AD and biogas taking place at the NEC in Birmingham on 5-6 July.

The show, now in its seventh year, is being jointly organised by the UK Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA) and the World Biogas Association (WBA), and will feature over 100 speakers, 250 exhibitors, and 4,000 delegates. The evening of Wednesday 5 July will also see the sixth annual AD & Biogas Industry Awards, which will be hosted by Charlotte Smith, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today and a regular contributor to BBC1’s Countryfile.

AD is a naturally occurring process that recycles organic material into renewable heat and power, green transport fuel, and biofertiliser, helping farmers boost their incomes and diversify their business. As EU CAP payments begin to be phased out over the coming years, integrating AD into a farming business to treat farm waste, food waste, or purpose-grown crops can provide a lucrative additional revenue stream and save farmers money on energy generation, fertiliser production, and waste management.

The show will examine a range of topics of relevance to UK farmers, including: opportunities for AD to support farmers post-Brexit; advances in the use of on-farm biomethane; using high-quality digestate to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-based fertilisers; growing crops for AD; novel sustainable feedstocks; and pre-treatment techniques.

Speakers at the event will include: Tom Beeley, Renewable Energy Adviser at the CLA; Dr Jonathan Scurlock, Chief Adviser Renewable Energy and Climate Change at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU); Adrian Rochefort, Account Manager at ForFarmers B.V.; David Rhodes, Technical Manager at DLF Seed; and Simon Draper, Agronomist at the Maize Growers’ Association.

The show will feature a range of free one-to-one advice clinics from regulators, operators, legal firms, ADBA’s Farmers’ Consultancy Service, and finance specialists on the following topics:

• Sourcing feedstocks
• Feedstock management
• Digestion process support
• PAS 110 Digestate Compliance
• Project management structures and contracts
• Finance

The show will also see the launch of the pilot of ADBA’s Best Practice Scheme, an industry-led initiative that aims to support the UK AD industry to operate to the highest operational, environmental, and health and safety standards. Through the scheme, ADBA are looking to develop a voluntary certification scheme to define best practice and enable AD plants to be recognised as meeting it.

Looking ahead to the show, ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton said:

With the nature and extent of post-Brexit support for farmers unclear, AD offers a great option for farmers looking to diversify their income and reduce their energy, vehicle, and fertiliser costs while reducing their emissions and restoring their soils. UK AD & Biogas and World Biogas Expo is the perfect place to come to find the latest innovations and advice on building and running an on-farm AD plant.

Dr Jonathan Scurlock, Chief Renewable Adviser at the NFU:

Renewable energy is now a worldwide trend, driven by technological advances and falling costs. The NFU is convinced that harnessing the huge potential of AD and other 'agri-renewables' is very much in the interest of our agricultural industry, helping to decarbonise Britain's economy, contributing to national energy security, and bringing additional benefits to the environment.

 

Through our engagement with farmers across Europe and worldwide, we also see that AD is key to the future of global agriculture, allowing farms across the world to recycle agricultural resources into green gas. UK AD & Biogas and World Biogas Expo 2017 is a great place to meet farmers from a wide range of countries who are already reaping the benefits of on-farm AD, as well as investors in the booming global market.

You can register your place for the show here.