Anaerobic digesters will help tackle climate change, say Government advisors

The UK can reduce emissions from buildings and industry if it increases its use of renewable heat technologies including biogas from landfills and anaerobic digesters, according to Government advisors.


The Committee on Climate Change has published its report Meeting Carbon Budgets – the need for a step change.


In the report it states that increased deployment of renewable heat should aim at meeting carbon budgets in the “most cost-effective way and developing a portfolio of options for possible deployment in the 2020s on the way to meeting longer term emissions reduction goals”. The Committee claims that this should include biogas, biomass boilers and combined heat and power.


The report also states that there is a need to increase renewable heat in the UK from the current level of less than one per cent of total heat demand, in order to both reduce emissions and meet the European Union 15 per cent renewable energy target.


CCC chair Lord Turner said: “With the carbon budgets in place, we now need to achieve a step change in the pace of emissions reduction. The Government needs to build on its Low Carbon Transition Plan and put in place a comprehensive delivery framework. What we have proposed is achievable and affordable but action needs to be taken now if we are to make our contribution to combating climate change.”


The report is published after energy watchdog Ofgem called for an investment of up to £200 billion in the next decade in power plants and infrastructure such as biowaste plants. It published its report called Project Discovery: Energy Market Scenarios (see MRW story).


Speaking about the Ofgem report, consultancy McKinnon & Clarke energy consultant David Hunter told MRW: “Biomass and biofuels have a role to play in the UK's future energy mix, although at least initially this will be at the margins. The big focus - and controversy - will remain on large scale thermal and renewable plant - nuclear, wind and clean coal. Bio- generation can develop perhaps by exploiting the need for 'decentralised' power - as the strain on the national grid continues to grow, small-scale localised plant, connected to the local distribution networks or even direct to customers, will be attractive. This will also be the case for smaller onshore wind farm developments.

“The Government can help by continuing to provide taxation and investment incentives, and allowing for fair and straightforward access to distribution networks for localised generation. The main thrust of energy policy will however continue to be directed at the larger projects such as nuclear, carbon capture, offshore wind and transmission network investment.”


UK manufacturing lobby group, EEF, has welcomed the CCC’s report as providing the necessary direction to Government on the need for a step change in action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


However, EEF head of climate change and environment policy Gareth Stace said that there remains an over reliance on large and heavy industry to deliver further reductions, even though it has made “significant” improvements.


He said: “The Government must deliver on its responsibility to ensure that UK industry is able to keep up with the pace of change. It also has to ensure industry is best placed to take advantage of the opportunities available from the booming environmental goods and services markets.”

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