GIB recognises anaerobic digestion as central to greener, smarter cities

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been highlighted as one of the top ten vital renewable technologies for smart cities in a Green Investment Bank report published yesterday, ten ways to modernise and improve UK urban infrastructure. 

ADBA Chief Executive, Charlotte Morton, commented: 

Anaerobic digestion, as one of the few circular economy technologies already functioning, will be a vital recycling and renewable energy technology to underpin the cities of the future. 

As the UK population continues to rise, economic growth can only be sustainable if we better manage our resources, cut carbon emissions and invest in our ageing infrastructure. AD offers closed-loop recycling for the essential nutrients in our food waste, baseload renewable energy, and ultra-low carbon transport fuel that dramatically improves air quality. As it evolves, our industry also has the potential to deliver new high-value products such as biochemicals and bioplastics.  

Future urban design will require planners to balance the need to minimise waste while maximising energy and nutrient recovery, against severe space limitations. Efficient, high quality recycling services will therefore be vital.

Shaun Kingsbury, Chief Executive of the UK Green Investment Bank notes in the report that: 

Each of the technologies we profile in this report is tried and tested and available to be deployed, at scale, right across the UK, straight away. Taken together they represent an investment opportunity in excess of £25bn over the next five years alone.