Assessing the potential for the uptake of on-farm anaerobic digestion for energy production in England

We report on an assessment of the potential for energy production from on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) in England based on findings from a survey of farmers where it was found that around 40% of 381 respondents might install AD on their farms. These ‘possible adopters’ tended to have large farms and might together utilise some 6560 ha of land for feedstock production along with the wastes from some 12,000 beef and dairy cattle and 9000 pigs. When raised to the national level, such a level of AD activity would produce around 3.5 GWh of electricity. This approximates to just 0.001% of national electricity generation. Further, there are considerable perceived barriers to the widespread adoption of AD on farms in England; these include the high capital costs of installing AD and doubts about the economic returns being high enough.

Research highlights
► Biogas from anaerobic digestion has good potential for the UK.
► Some 40% of English farmers surveyed might install anaerobic digesters.
► Crops as well as animal manure would be used as feedstock for the digesters.
► High capital costs of digesters are a barrier to up-take by farmers.