Energy from Waste sector calls for a sea change in renewables policy

Leaders from Siemens and the Energy from Waste sector have united in a call for a rapid sea change in policy in order to encourage the government to develop a long term strategy to address the need for a greater mix of renewable energy sources, with a focus of maximizing the use of energy from waste facilities.

Businesses from across the sector made the calls at an Energy from Waste conference – ‘Planning for Tomorrow’ held at the Siemens sustainable cities building, the Crystal in London. Attendees from across the sector were addressed by leaders from across industry, including Juergen Maier Managing Director of Siemens Industry, Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) and energy policy campaigner Lord Redesdale.

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive, ADBA:

We know that the biogas industry has the potential to support more than 35,000 jobs in the UK, and the sector is growing at a rapid rate – 46% last year alone. AD plants provide a triple win for our economy, dealing with food waste, generating a flexible form of baseload renewable energy and supporting sustainable farming and food production.

 

But we are only at the beginning of that journey. We need a clear, long term strategy for the sector which makes the most of these resources for the UK, real investment in research and development and a clear blue print for sustainable energy policy in the UK– reinforced by support from the European Union.

Siemens provides innovative EfW solutions incorporating the latest power generation technology, which is at the heart of the power island; Siemens technologies power around one third of EfW plans across the UK. Siemens Industry also provides automation and energy efficiency solutions for the sector.

George Giles, Head of Renewable Power at Siemens Industry commented:

Energy from waste has the real potential to help the UK meet its energy requirements, which is becoming an ever more pressing issue. By way of example the anaerobic digestion market has the potential to grow by a substantial 800% by 2020.

 

So while the sector grows in terms of investment and research, this is happening in spite of a lack of coherent strategy from government for how we best deal with waste. We urgently need a strategy for how biogas should best be used in Britain. If we get this missing piece of the jigsaw in place we can head in the right direction in terms of a truly sustainable energy mix.