Farmers in Shropshire are set to play their part in the production of renewable energy with the news that two significant on-farm anaerobic digesters are to be constructed in the county.

The planning consents for the two digesters – one in north Shropshire near Ruyton and the other near Bridgnorth – have been secured by planning and environment specialists at Berrys in Shrewsbury.

“With world energy consumption set to rise significantly by 2030 there is a growing need for local, reliable and renewable energy sources such as on-farm anaerobic digestion producing biogas,” said Stephen Locke who leads the planning team at Berrys’ Shrewsbury office.

“Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is a natural biological process in which the use of the biofertiliser produced is as important as the biogas and an increasing number of farmers in the area are seriously considering adopting the latest proven technology from both the UK and Europe to make AD work on their farms.”

Local farmer Simon Davies who has planning consent for a digester on his unit near Bridgnorth said:  “I can only see the cost of power going up in the next 10-20 years. The tariffs available will provide an alternative source of income for the farm as well as providing clean, renewable energy.

“The generation of renewable energy through projects such as ours has very strict development criteria and staff at Berrys were able to guide us through the complex planning process”.

Arable and livestock farmers both have the resources to provide the feedstock for the production of biogas and these two proposed  Shropshire projects will be fuelled by arable crops and other agricultural by-products,  said Stephen Locke.

“Arable farmers can add value to crops grown on the farm and livestock farmers can generate income from waste manures whilst producing a non-odourous fertiliser. The process also has environmental benefits, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, producing renewable energy to replace fossil fuels, reducing the need for artificial fertilisers and helping to minimise nitrogen and phosphate leakage from soils.”

Income for renewables will be generated through a combination of rebalanced Feed in Tariffs and the introduction of the new Renewable Heat Incentive in April which promises additional payments over and above the Feed in Tariffs.

While commercial viability will be the key consideration for those contemplating AD, planning is another potential barrier to be overcome and it is wise to seek professional help with the planning from the outset.

“From my experience in dealing with a number of planning applications for AD plants in the county, it is clear that local authorities are becoming more aware of the benefits of AD but it is crucial when submitting a planning application that the process and the long term management of the facility is fully set out,” he said.

“Issues such as noise, odour and traffic are often misunderstood and need to be carefully presented to local communities early on.

 “Getting through the planning issues and points and dealing with the permitting regulations can be a long and lengthy process. The secret is to plan ahead, consult early and keep everyone informed; it is only then that everyone can come to realise the important benefits that this technology can provide for both the agricultural industry and the environment,” he added.

Stephen Locke can be contacted at Berrys Shrewsbury office on 01743 267062 or email stephen.locke@berrybros.com