Welcome to the latest issue of AD & Bioresources News: Issue 30, February 2016

“UK has the opportunity to lead on emissions reduction” and “Realising the value of digestate”

Our introduction to this issue of AD & Bioresources News (page 3) is written by Matthew Bell, Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change. Matthew was pleased with the level of ambition of the climate change agreement reached in Paris at the end of 2015, and more importantly the focus on implementation, and refers to the advice the CCC has provided government on the fifth carbon budget. This carbon budget recommends a continuation in the steady pace of emissions reduction to date. This is good news for AD because “one of the benefits of such steady, predictable progress is that investors – including those considering AD and related schemes – can plan against known, fixed signposts. That creates opportunities for new industries, new markets and new employment, including the use of biomass.”

Charlotte Morton adds to this in her opinion piece on page 4: “by reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuel energy sources, rotting manures, landfilled food waste and artificial fertilisers, AD’s vital role in decarbonising electricity, heat, farming and transport alone could reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by four per cent. That’s a huge contribution to the UK’s climate commitment.”

Our main feature this issue “Realising the value of digestate” (pages 8-12) looks at how vital it is to understand that every single part of an AD business must be optimised, including making the most of digestate. The feature considers why there remains a significant gap between digestate’s potential and value currently being realised, but also includes case studies of companies which are successfully utilising digestate in the agricultural sector and starting to make inroads into the landscaping sector. Scientific research from WRAP shows that digestate from AD could be used for purposes as diverse as algal growth for use as animal feed and even cellulosic ethanol production. There are still barriers to be overcome but it is vital for digestate to be valued as a resource.

This issue, the first of 2016, contains the new feature Best Practice Matters (page 7), which this month outlines how you can get involved in our Best Practice Scheme for the AD Industry. Also, don’t miss our policy-focused Advice Clinic (pages 18-19), dealing with questions on FIT, RHI and RTFO. UK AD & Biogas 2016 is now less than 6 months away – check out our preview on pages 22-23 and don’t forget to enter the AD & Biogas Industry Awards 2016, which for the first time has overseas categories, reflecting the new global outlook of the show (page 38).

Also in this issue you will find:

• ADBA News: p5-6
• Best Practice Matters: p7
• Feature – Getting value from digestate: p8-12
• Technology Focus: CHP technology: p14-15
• ADBA National Conference 2015 Review: p16-17
• Advice Clinic: Policy special: p18-19 
• Plant Update: p20-21
• UK AD & Biogas 2016 Preview: p22-23
• Members’ News and Views: p24-27
• Policy: p28-29
• Government & Agency News: p30
• Operator & Working Groups: p31
• R&D Update/ADBA R&I Forum Preview: p32
• Regions: p33
• Upcoming Events: p35
• Membership Matters: p36-38

I hope you find this issue enjoyable and informative. If you haven’t contributed before and would like to, please turn to page 3 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 by email: marketing@adbioresources.org or phone: +44 (0)203 176 0590.

Charlotte Morton

Chief Executive