Welcome to the latest issue of AD & Biogas News: ‘Enhancing sustainable agriculture – integratin

The ADBA team is often asked what role crop feedstocks should play in anaerobic digestion (AD) in the UK. Although some have argued that growing crops for renewable energy production will take away land that could be used to grow food, current practices and research paint a more diverse, positive picture.

With just nine of the UK’s 145 AD plants currently exclusively treating crops, each crop operator has a different reason for using this particular feedstock which typically enhances moves towards more sustainable agriculture. Farmers grow break crops for many reasons: to enhance soil quality; to make the most of contaminated land unsuitable for growing food; supplement less calorific farm waste feedstocks to increase biogas yields; or use AD to diversify their income, and to protect their core farming business from volatile food markets as well as rising energy and fertiliser prices. Our feature ‘Crops for AD – Supporting farming, securing our food supplies’ (pages10-14) explores how crops are currently used for AD in the UK, what farmers need to consider when growing crops for digestion, and how policy around crops for bioenergy is evolving.

On-farm AD (including the growing of crops as a feedstock) will also be a major topic at our upcoming trade show UK AD & Biogas 2014 (2-3 July, NEC Birmingham), alongside themes including operational performance, AD in the food and drink sector, small scale AD, digestate markets, AD in the water sector, biomethane as a vehicle fuel and much more – See pages 16-21 for the full show preview, including the free conference, seminar, R&D Hub, one-to-one advice clinic programmes and exhibitors offerings. Don’t forget to pre-register for your free ticket at www.adbioresources.org to avoid the queues on the day – I look forward to seeing you there.

At the show you will also be able to hear an update from Steve Roberts, Head of Market Intelligence at DECC on the RHI opening for applications and the biomethane tariff review which aims to ensure that tariffs are set on the basis of the most up to date cost information, taking into account economies of scale. In the meantime, do make sure to read Matt Hindle’s update on the tariff on page 5.

Last but not least, before sourcing your AD equipment at UK AD & Biogas 2014, make sure you turn to pages 25-26 for our latest technology focus on pipes which offers a hands-on introduction and guide to reliable pipe design and what you need to bear in mind.

Also inside this issue:

• Foreword by Chris Huhne, former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, former Shadow Defra Minister and MEP and currently a Strategic Adviser for ADBA (p.3)
• FIT and RHI updates (p.4-5)
• ABP regulations and food waste collections (p.33)
• Members’ news & views (p.34-37)
• Upcoming events (p.39)

I hope you enjoy this publication and find it informative. If you haven’t contributed before and would like to, turn to page three to see how you can be involved in our upcoming features. As always, if you have any views, comments or suggestions – or would like us to visit your site – please get in touch.

With best wishes,

Charlotte Morton

Chief Executive

To read AD & Biogas News click here