York, 1st May 2020 - NNFCC has published
the seventh edition of its annual Anaerobic Digestion Deployment in the UK report. The report is free to all AD Subscribers or is available to purchase
here. The report summarises the developments in the UK’s AD industry over the
past 12 months and looks ahead to future developments in the sector.
The level of activity in the AD industry over the past
12-months is once again not reflected in the latest deployment figures and does
not reflect the ambition of our industry. Only 7 new plants have commissioned
since April 2019, adding a modest 3.4MWe of capacity and increasing biomethane
flow to the grid by just over 2,000Nm3/hr. Despite 47 plants being under
construction at this time last year, many are yet to reach or complete the
commissioning phase due to the inclement weather conditions in the first
quarter of 2020 immediately followed by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated
restrictions.
The current restrictions are not only proving problematic
for those in development; operational plants are being impacted by lack of
feedstock. Despite food waste collections being deemed a priority for Local
Councils, the closure of educational establishments, food service outlets and
the hospitality sector have led to a significant decline in waste arisings,
creating issues for those relying on such waste as their only or main feedstock
source.
Lucy Hopwood, NNFCC’s Lead Consultant for Bioenergy and
Anaerobic Digestion comments “It’s been another turbulent year, in which we
expected to see a significant rise in numbers but we’re reporting a much more
modest growth with many plants in construction facing unforeseen challenges in
recent months. Thankfully, it seems Government are sympathetic to the situation
and all the progress won’t be in vain.”
Despite the industry stalling over recent months, partly due
to the closure of the FIT scheme and with the end of the RHI looming and
additional time pressures on projects with a tariff guarantee, the future still
looks promising. It was announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget statement
that the government is allocating an additional £10 million in 2020-21 to
support the design and delivery of net zero policies and programmes, within
which biomethane is expected to feature strongly. Subsequent announcements from
BEIS this week have clarified support for biomethane injection to the gas grid,
in the form of a Green Gas Support Scheme, is set to stay until 2025/26, with
the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) committing to support biomethane
as far out as 2032.
Lucy adds “For many, the recent announcements have been a blessing,
extending the commissioning window in light of the current restrictions and
providing an insight into an extended period of future support. We look forward
to another year of development in the AD sector and will be keenly following
it, working with operators, developers and investors to overcome remaining
challenges.”
To purchase the report please click here.
For more information:
Where to access the report
The report is available to buy on
the NNFCC website, either outright or as part of
a business support package. For further information please
contact Lucy Hopwood, the report author at l.hopwood@nnfcc.co.uk
Sustainability guidance from NNFCC
Whilst tracking the market
landscape, NNFCC have been helping AD and bioenergy clients understand what new
policies mean for their business and how to strengthen their supply chain, to
be resilient to increasingly stringent sustainability policy. We have developed
a user-friendly carbon calculator for biogas and biomethane producers to
demonstrate compliance with sustainability criteria, for RHI, RO, or RTFO (in
line with policy guidance).
NNFCC’s Biomethane & Biogas Carbon Calculator
deals with the complexities of multiple feedstocks and is excel-based, making
it easy to use, robust and transparent. It also graphically highlights where
weaknesses lie in supply chains and where to focus efforts on reducing
emissions, to comply with regulation as it is inevitably set to tighten in the
future. Access options for the Biomethane & Biogas Carbon Calculator can be found here.
Notes to Editors
About NNFCC
NNFCC Ltd is a specialist bioeconomy consultancy based in York,
the UK. Established by the UK government
in 2003 as the National Non-Food Crops Centre, NNFCC has grown to become a
leading independent consultancy focused on understanding biorenewable markets and
technologies. They provide global
clients with a holistic view of feedstock, technology, policy and market
development across the bioeconomy, enabling informed business decisions and
sustainable business strategies. NNFCC
also provides technical, market and policy expertise on the conversion of
biomass and waste to bioenergy, biofuels and biobased products to the UK
government. See more at www.nnfcc.co.uk.
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