New National Association Launched to Promote Best Practice and Uptake of Anaerobic Digestion in UK

A new trade association for the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas industries was launched last week at the Dairy Event with the ambitious goal of having 1,000 plants in place across the UK by 2015.
Monsal, the UKs leading anaerobic digestion provider is one of the 10 founding members of the association.

“The aims of the new association will be to promote anaerobic digestion amongst the farming community and to local authorities,” Lord Redesdale, the chief executive of the ADBA said at the launch of the new association.

The ADBA believes that more than 1,000 anaerobic digestion plants will be built in the UK.

The association plans to have secured £1 billion in managed funds to finance anaerobic digestion in the UK by 2010 and Lord Redesdale said the cost of building the required number of plants will be £5 billion.

The industry in the coming years is expected to be employing more than 20,000 people.

“AD is the renewable technology that will do most to fight greenhouse gas emission from fossil fuels and providing good economic returns that are built on proven technology,” Lord Redesdale added.

ADBA Mission statement

The ADBA (Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association) is focused on the education, development and quality standards associated with all aspects of the anaerobic digestion of waste products and the resulting biogas as a renewable energy resource.

The Association recognises the importance of combining our experience in technology, building products, safety and the efficient use of resources whilst also benefiting from work carried out by others over the years.

Members from all aspects of the waste and renewable communities are welcome to share our aims for the development of anaerobic digestion and biogas.

The ADBA is to develop biogas as one of the UK’s major sources of energy within 10 years.

Looking to the future

ADBA, the trade association for the biogas industries, now represents all those involved in the design and build of the biogas infrastructure of Britain. Biogas will provide a significant percentage of Britain’s gas, easing the problem of energy security and also reducing the fossil fuel content of the gas and electricity grid.

ADBA plans to create the environment in which over 1000 plants are built in Britain. Five billion pounds will need to be raised from the private sector to fund construction. This is expected to create some 20,000 jobs.

The UK’s imminent dependence on imported gas means that gas prices will rise. The significant potential of biogas will lower the overall price of gas and will be a tool in fighting fuel poverty

Dorian Harrison Technical Director from Monsal who sits on the board on the new Association also commented “ It is essential that we have a UK association that represents our views and ensures the ambitious plans of biogas infrastructure for UK PLC can be delivered in a robust and professional manner in the current economic climate”