UFU participate in ADBA NI conference

ADBA is the UK’s leading AD trade association and the UFU have been members for over 10 years. This event represented the second conference held in NI during this time and is recognition of the 75 AD plants located here.

In the opening presentation, the UFU provided an overview of the current net zero approach and highlighted the implications of the Private Members Bill, which would stand to decimate the local agriculture sector. Repeating the commitment of the agri sector to reduce emissions, the UFU highlighted that anaerobic digestion has a role to play, not just in nutrient recovery, but also in the generation of a carbon negative alternative from heat and transport sectors in the form of biomethane. Future development and the roll out of AD in NI, will see carbon capture, storage, utilisation and the possibility that AD plants may also be able to trade their separated CO2 for sequestration.

The session contained three presentations from key NI industry representatives, who provided an insight to the role AD and biogas has to play in its decarbonisation strategy.

Speaker one - David McKee, chief technical officer, Granville Ecopark

The Granville Ecopark has been involved in groundbreaking work on biomethane and is the first plant in NI to upgrade biogas to biomethane. David highlighted the current barriers to biomethane use in NI, including policy intransigence which is inhibiting progress in the rollout. David also set out the value proposition of biomethane (including RTFO update).

Speaker two - Eric Cosgrove, director of engineering & sustainability, Firmus Energy

Firmus Energy have identified biomethane injection as a significant game changer in the decarbonisation of the NI gas grid. The NI gas grid is more suitable for carrying low-carbon gases like biomethane, especially when contrasted to Great Britain where their system presents some technical issues and with minimal adaption of existing domestic heating boilers. Eric set out a timetable for progress but also highlighted the current barriers.

Speaker three - Thomas Cromie, Consultant, agriAD

Thomas set out the ground-breaking work being undertaken by the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CASE) at Queens University Belfast, the progress they are making in unlocking the potential and role of biogas in NI.