15/07/09
Water UK is pleased to support the publication of recommendations from Defra's Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Task Group's report on developing an Implementation Plan for AD. This is a milestone in the process of developing a national plan for AD.
The UK water industry is truly the hub of AD in the UK, with the highest number of AD plants in the UK and generating more renewable energy from the AD process than any other sector.
The vision and changes expected are worthy of commendation in aiming to transform what society considers waste into renewable energy and the residue into fertiliser, particularly as non-renewable natural phosphate stocks continue to decline.
The plan could increase AD capacity by 50 to 100 times. This is no mean feat and 'business as usual' attitudes will be far from enough.
Attaining the vision and delivering the final plan will require fundamental changes in attitude if we are to embrace the opportunities AD offers. We must all play our part. Defra is providing leadership, but other government departments need to be involved. Regulators must apply the true principles of better regulation. Industry sectors and the supply chain must work together to remove regulatory barriers and put in place the right incentives.
It is particularly important that the AD Task Group has identified specific actions for government departments, planners, environment and economic regulators, industry sectors and the supply chain.
Water UK looks forward to contributing to the development of the plan to ensure that regulation facilitates rather than hampers development of this sustainable vision.
Defra: Anaerobic Digestion Implementation Plan
Water industry at the hub of anaerobic digestion
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For more information please contact:
Water UK Communication
020 7344 1809 (out of hours 07833 450544)
Notes
1. AD is a biological process that happens naturally when bacteria break down organic matter in environments with little or no oxygen. Almost any organic material can be processed with AD, including waste paper and cardboard (which is of too low a grade to recycle, e.g. because of food contamination), grass clippings, food, agricultural waste, industrial effluents, sewage and animal waste.
2. 'Conventional' AD has been used by the water industry for decades as a sludge stabilisation process. Conventional AD can be converted to advanced AD by the addition of a pre-treatment stage. This effectively doubles the gas production per unit volume of the digester and reduces the volume of digestate (sludge).
3. Of the 1.6 million tonnes of sewage sludge produced annually by the industry, 66% is treated by AD and 60% of the biogas produced by this process is used to generate renewable heat and power by CHP engines. AD is not the only method available and other methods of treating sewage sludge include liming, drying and incineration.
4. The publication of the plan is part of the government's climate change and energy package announced today. Details of how the water industry is planning for climate change.
