The UK anaerobic digestion (AD) industry has emerged and
expanded rapidly over the past decade, influenced ultimately by waste and
renewable energy policies, and the financial support mechanisms implemented in
the UK to encourage uptake and set the UK on track to meet our national targets
for heat, power and transport fuels and the wider Net Zero ambition.
With over 650 operational AD facilities, and a subset of 100
of those injecting biomethane into the national gas grid across the UK, the
industry has moved from emerging to firmly established in recent years, but
still vast improvements can be made. As a result of declining support,
feedstock competition and increased operational costs the industry is looking
closely at other revenue streams and focussing interests on improving system
performance, streamlining activities and associated services, and reducing both
capital and operational costs where possible to deliver greater returns.
There is a significant and timely opportunity to radically
assess and influence the future shape of the industry, and to revolutionise the
way in which systems operate through more innovative business models and
service provision. With an unrivalled knowledge of the UK AD market, NNFCC has
supported many businesses as they look to enter into or expand in the market,
to diversify current activities and to grasp new opportunities.
NNFCC was engaged by an overseas corporate investor looking
to appraise their own business strengths in relation to the UK AD market, to
develop strategic partnerships with established businesses, and to identify
acquisition targets to enable future business growth in the AD sector. The team worked through a number of tasks,
collating data and mapping opportunities, before prioritising options and making
introductions to facilitate business growth and investment.
NNFCC holds
comprehensive datasets of operational and planned AD and composting facilities,
feedstock arisings and availability, and key stakeholders, to support the
delivery of such engagements. Key personnel continue to work for such
businesses on a retained basis, to support the delivery of a market entry
strategy and to bring inward investment to the UK.