ENGIE has submitted plans to develop an agricultural anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Sherburn-in-Elmet in the UK following a consultation with the local community and stakeholders.
The facility – which will sit alongside the existing Low Farm AD facility and new woodland planting – will take agricultural feedstocks and wastes from local farms and turn it into renewable gas via AD.
As well as creating green gas, reducing reliance on imported natural gas, the site will work in partnership with local farmers to give them a regular source of income whilst reducing their carbon footprint.
It also supports day to day farming activities by providing digestate, a byproduct of the AD process and a natural fertiliser that replaces artificial and expensive alternatives.
Stuart Rennie, managing director of renewable gases UK at Engie, said: “Farm waste in the local area is currently largely spread to land which releases carbon into the atmosphere. Our plans would instead see it used to generate a local supply of green gas which is all part of our national mission to make farming more sustainable and support the UK’s decarbonisation journey.
“Over the last few months we’ve been out talking to the community, and we’ve had lots of positive feedback. We’ve worked hard to develop a really robust planning application which is supported by various technical assessments that show how the facility will be operated without impacting on the local area.”
The proposal is being brought forward in response to the UK’s legally binding target to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Part of the challenge will be reducing the carbon footprint of both the UK’s energy consumption and agricultural sector, something North Yorkshire Council is addressing with its adopted Climate Change Strategy.
New ‘green’ gas plant in the pipeline
