Advocates for anaerobic digestion, a source of renewable energy usually found on-farms, are calling for political parties to recognise the process.
With a snap election on the horizon and all parties now scrambling to pull together manifestos, the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has called for the value of anaerobic digestion to be recognised.
Anaerobic digestion is the breakdown of organic material by micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen.
The process produces biogas, a methane-rich gas that can be used as a fuel, and digestate, a source of nutrients that can be used as a fertiliser.
ncreasingly, it is being used to make the most of waste by turning it into renewable energy.
Commenting, ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton stated: "The performance of local authorities and politicians on the ground can have an impact on how people vote nationally.
"There are levers that the Government can pull to make their job on the ground easier, and this is true when it comes to supporting the AD industry and sorting the problem of food waste collections in England.”
'Support UK farmers'
ADBA is calling for three policies that all parties should include in their manifestos:
• Re-introduce the legislation on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) as soon as possible in the next parliament, and commit to increasing the RHI budget so the UK can continue to produce clean, green energy and useful products like biofertiliser.
• Commit to legislation introducing separate food waste collections in England, to divert waste away from landfill, helping meet UK carbon commitments.
• Support UK farmers by restoring viable tariffs to the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme and remove the AD capacity cap.
ADBA says that local problems on what to do with food waste, as well as national ones on meeting UK energy needs and cutting carbon emissions will come to a head in the next Parliament.
ADBA says with the right targeting support, AD can help solve many of these domestic issues, while boosting exports abroad.
