Planning approval for “UK’s biggest biogas facility” in Scotland
Wednesday 02 December 2009
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| The site plan for the ‘M74 Eco-Park‘ between Glasgow and Carlisle |
Plans to develop the UK's "biggest biogas facility" in Scotland, on a site on the M74 between Glasgow and Carlisle, have been given the go-ahead by South Lanarkshire council.
The project's developer, Glasgow-based renewable energy company Proactive Energy, has invested an initial £22.5 million in developing the 5MW anaerobic digestion facility, which represents the first phase of its ‘M74 Eco-Park'.
The company claims the development will be Scotland's first "green" commercial and industrial park and the AD plant will be the UK's biggest biogas facility. It will convert organic waste into electricity which will in turn be supplied to the National Grid.
The biogas plant phase of the Eco-Park is now expected to be fully operational in early 2011. It is set to convert up to 135,000 tonnes of organic waste to energy each year.
Proactive Energy would not reveal where the waste would come from and whether any contracts are in place for its supply.
Support
Ron Coakley, director of Proactive Energy, said: "We're absolutely delighted that our anaerobic digestion facility has been given the go-ahead. I would like to say a huge thank you to South Lanarkshire council for all the help and support they have provided throughout the planning process.
"Our total commitment to a cleaner and safer environment is supported by our initial £22.5M investment. This demonstrates our ambition and vision for providing state-of-the-art and cost effective waste disposal solutions with huge environmental spin-offs."
In line with Scottish Government policy, Proactive Energy has also promised to help customers reduce the amount of organic waste being sent to landfill.
Mr Coakley added that by-products of the process would become high quality natural fertiliser that could be used on local farms. He also claimed that thermal energy, another by-product, would be used to heat the premises of neighbouring Eco-Park occupiers as well as being utilised by cold storers and companies that require extreme heat in their manufacturing processes.
"Unique"
The chair of the planning committee at South Lanarkshire council, councillor Graham Scott, said: "This is an exciting plan and one of the most unique we have seen at this committee. As an alternative to landfill it is in itself to be welcomed, but the developer's commitment to recycling and re-use across the facility is genuinely admirable.
"From the council's perspective, the development also meets our Local Plan objectives of promoting more sustainable communities and encouraging economic regeneration within the wider rural area."
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