Economic Assessment of Anaerobic Digestion Technology & its Suitability to UK Farming & Waste Systems (Report), NNFCC 10-010

This one hundred and twenty-seven page comprehensive compendium of information and resources addresses the key barriers which need to be resolved to build an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in the UK.

Summary

This updated report (second edition) outlines the options for anaerobic digestion (AD) production technologies in the UK and draws together the issues and important details for small and large scale organisations considering diversification into AD.

It focuses primarily on utilising on-farm feedstocks but also explores third party feedstocks in the form of non-agricultural waste and also joint ventures including central anaerobic digestion (CAD).

Opportunities for AD to be incorporated into UK farm systems are developing very quickly in the light of growing environmental and energy security issues. Combining the techniques of AD and traditional farming practices is a relatively novel concept in the UK, but less so elsewhere.

This report has been developed to guide people through the maze of information necessary to make correct and sound decisions about anaerobic digestion. Despite the very positive talk about the profitability of AD, it is not always the right thing to do.

An AD cost calculator tool has been produced alongside this report to help you understand the financial costs and potential revenues that can be generated through AD.