Twenty seven AD projects are now up and running in the country, up 69% (from 16) from just 12 months ago, while a further 43 have planning approval.
Charlotte Morton, chief executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ABDA), said: “Scotland is leading the way in demonstrating how anaerobic digestion extracts value from our waste, while supporting farming resilience, reducing billions in carbon abatement costs, improving food security and production and generating employment and investment opportunities for rural economies.”
The AD process involves farm slurry, vegetable peelings, paper and other organic material decomposing inside a closed chamber to produce gas, which is then used to generate electricity.
The amount of food sent to landfill in Scotland each year has fallen by 8% since 2009, while less than half of Scotland’s household waste now ends up there – the first time the figure has dipped below the 50% mark.