British gas supplies set for farm renewable boost
Reuters.com, Wednesday 16 Sep 2009

"STONELEIGH, England (Reuters) - Gas made from agricultural crops and
by-products such as cow slurry will play a key role in meeting Britain's
energy needs over the next few years, the head of a new trade body said on
Wednesday.

Lord Redesdale, chief executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas
Association, which was launched on Wednesday, said he expects 1,000 plants
to be built over the next five to 10 years at a cost of about 5 billion
pounds ($8.23 billion).

He told reporters at the launch that the digesters, once they had all been
built, would provide about 20 percent of Britain's domestic gas needs with a
value of about 1.7 billion pounds a year based on current prices.

"If you are looking at the one renewable that can actually meet the real
needs the country has for energy and the needs we have under climate change,
this is the big one," Redesdale said.

There are currently only about 10 anaerobic digesters (ADs) in Britain which
use agricultural inputs although several hundred are operated by water
utilities to process sewage sludges.

Redesdale said 75 percent of the new units would use agricultural inputs
while the remaining 25 percent would be built by local authorities to help
meet recycling targets.  Local authorities are expected to feed green waste
into ADs."

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-BusinessofGreen/idUSTRE58F3JQ20090916


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