Anaerobic digestion capacity in the UK reaches 500MW
A report from the UK's Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), states that generation capacity has reached 514MW of electrical equivalent capacity from more than 400 anaerobic digestion (AD) plants across the UK in the farming, waste and water sectors. Chief executive of ADBA, Charlotte Morton, explains that the AD industry was making an important contribution to the UK's renewable energy targets and that 500MW electrical equivalent capacity is "more capacity than one of the UK's nuclear power plants, Wylfa, which is being decommissioned this year".
The anaerobic digestion (AD) industry now delivers an electrical equivalent capacity (electricity and biomethane) of 514 megawatts across 411 plants in the farming, waste and water sectors.

Commenting on this substantial progress, ADBA’s Chief Executive, Charlotte Morton, said:

Last month I announced a new industry milestone following the unveiling of the UK’s 400th biogas plant.

ADBA’s market data now shows that AD offers over 500MWe electrical equivalent capacity – more capacity than one of the UK’s nuclear power plants, Wylfa, which is being decommissioned this year.

This capacity is extremely valuable because AD generates low carbon baseload or dispatchable power, helping to keep the lights on and balance the output from intermittent renewables such as wind and solar. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has rightly said that providing baseload is one of her department’s priorities, and biogas should be seen as an important component to our energy security.

Despite this, however, further growth in capacity is being hindered by the government’s decisions to remove Levy Exemption Certificates (LECs) in the summer budget – a cut that ADBA estimates will cost the AD industry £11 million – and to fast-track a four week consultation aimed at removing pre-accreditation from the Feed-in Tariff.