Scottish Minister backs biogas in address to ADBA Scottish Conference

Anaerobic digestion can start to reduce emissions now from hard-to-decarbonise sectors and kick start Scotland’s carbon removal industry.

That was the message delivered to the ADBA Scottish Conference in a video message by Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Climate Action. Ms Martin was unable to attend in person as planned due to emergency sittings in the Scottish Parliament.

The Minister’s key message was that the production of biogas and biomethane through AD presented an “opportunity we should be capitalising on”. She highlighted how biomethane was already being effectively utilised to decarbonise transport, how it could be blended in the grid to decarbonise how we heat our homes and its potential to decarbonise farming.

Ms Martin also praised the ability of the technology to displace fossil equivalents and capture carbon for use and storage, which “can kick start the carbon removal industry in Scotland”.

She called on ADBA members and biogas stakeholders to engage in the ongoing consultation into the future of Scotland’s bioenergy strategy. The consultation closes on 12 June. Learn more about the consultation at https://www.gov.scot/publications/draft-bioenergy-policy-statement/.

Watch the video address by Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Climate Action, here.