Twenty large-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) plants are to be developed by 2025 under the updated Climate Action Plan.

It outlines an accelerated target of one-terawatt hour of biomethane to be produced annually by 2025. The target will require 20 large-scale AD plants, each needing around 2,500ac-3,000ac of feedstock such as grass silage and upwards of 40,000t of slurry. The plan reiterates the increased target of 150-200 AD plants by 2030, which was set earlier this year.

The plan states that the Government will seek opportunities for financial support for “agri-centric” AD biomethane plants in 2023 and 2024 and introduce the renewable heat obligation scheme.

No reference was made to the challenges around securing planning permission for these AD plants.