Deal Farm Biogas recently submitted a Section 73(a) planning application to South Norfolk Council, including new plans to deliver innovative Carbon Capture Technology as part of the final stages of construction for the facility.
As well as delivering biogas through the anaerobic digester (AD) process to be pumped directly into the local gas network and producing high-quality digestate to be used as natural fertiliser replacing chemical fertilisers, the inclusion of Carbon Capture Technology will also enable the facility to capture and liquefy 7,000 tonnes CO2 each year to be used in local industries.
At present 60% of the UK’s CO2 is manufactured by American owned company, CF Fertilizers, but increased gas prices have resulted in the company threatening to shut their two UK plants. In October 2021, the government stepped in to subsidise the CF production to maintain CO2 supplies. Despite a 3-month deal agreed in October to keep a key production site open coming to an end this week, an industry-led deal has now been struck to keep the Billingham plant in operation. However, there are still ongoing concerns about the impact of this deal on the long-term price of CO2 and the viability of this plant operating on a permanent basis.
In order to tackle these concerns, the UK government is keen to support domestic Carbon Capture projects, such as the one proposed at Deal Farm Biogas. The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, in tandem with the Climate Change Committee’s Carbon Budget Recommendation, outline the critical role that Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) will have to play in reaching the UK’s climate objectives.
At present, the UK’s goal is to capture 10 million tonnes of CO2 each year by 2030 to bolster the UK’s CO2 supply sustainably. By including Carbon Capture Technology in the final construction plans for Deal Farm Biogas, the facility will be able to contribute an impressive 7,000 tonnes of liquid CO2 to support this goal each year.
Deal Farm Biogas have been able to include Carbon Capture Technology as part of the new Section 73(a) planning application submitted to South Norfolk Council due to advancements in Carbon Capture Technology and a significant increase in demand for sustainable and domestic CO2 since the 2015 planning application for the site was granted.
The project team is pleased to be able to include this additional sustainability feature to make the Deal Farm AD process carbon negative. By producing sustainable CO2, Deal Farm Biogas will play a key role in supporting local CO2 users.
To find out more about Carbon Capture Technology, how it works, and why it is important, you can get in touch with the project team who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
You may also find this recent BBC news article on the subject interesting:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60152768
