Plans have been announced to develop two plants in Moray producing biogas using distillery by-products, as well as crops and waste from local farms.
Acorn Bioenergy intends to invest around £50m developing a plant near Longmorn, on the outskirts of Elgin, and another at Hill of Rathven, by Buckie.
The company said the plants could help decarbonise the area’s whisky industry and provide a new source of income for farmers, as well as heating homes and powering heavy goods vehicles.
Established in 2019, London-headquartered Acorn has approval to inject 5,000 m sq of biomethane into Scotland’s gas grid.
It aims to achieve that by establishing the anaerobic digestion plants in Moray, along with others in the Highlands and Aberdeenshire, with a total investment of more than £100m in Scotland over the next two years.
Acorn said 15 new full-time jobs will be created at each site, which it hopes will be operational by mid-2024. Around 100 people will be employed at each site during construction.
Draff and pot ale by-products from whisky distilling processes will be used in five anaerobic digestion tanks at the plants.
The plants should offer local farmers a new, long-term source of income, selling feedstock, such as energy crops, silages, straw and waste inputs, including manures, to be used in the biomethane production process.
As a by-product of the process, the facilities will produce supplies of digestate fertiliser for use on farms, as a greener alternative to traditional fossil fuel fertilisers.
Carbon dioxide will also be produced and captured, with potential uses in a variety of sectors, including food and drink, emerging hydrogen technologies and the sustainable aviation market.
Acorn stated that its initial studies had shown that, once operational, the plants are expected to add just 10% to traffic movements on access routes. It also claimed that the facilities, which will not use food or domestic waste or animal bi-products, will create only “minimal odour” and low levels of background noise.
The company has submitted Proposal of Application Notices to Moray Council for both sites. It is holding the first of two public consultation events in each area next week.
Natalie Dillon, business development manager at Acorn, said: “There is a pressing need for greater UK energy security and a rapidly increasing demand for greener fuels, such as biomethane, for the transition to net zero.
“Anaerobic digestion is a tried-and-tested, centuries old technology that can produce clean, green energy to heat homes and power HGVs.”
Dillon continued: “We have identified areas in Scotland where distilleries and farming are a significant part of the landscape and local economies.
“In exchange for distilling by-products, we can work with distillers to create a circular economy solution to their high energy demands while helping decarbonise their operations from field to bottle.
“We also want to work with farmers to offer both an alternative source of secure income with longevity in return for feedstock and ready supplies of digestate as a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional fertilisers.”
Earlier this month, Acorn submitted a planning application for an anaerobic digestion plant at Fearn Airfield, in Easter Ross, to the Highland Council.
It has also applied to the local authority for permission to develop a gas injection point at Morayston, near Inverness, where biomethane produced by all the plants will be added to Scotland’s gas grid.
People from local communities will be able to find out more about the Moray plans and meet representatives of the company at consultation events taking place at Fogwatt Hall, near Elgin, on 7 December and 18 January.
Similar events will be held at the Fishermen’s Hall, in Buckie, on 8 December and 19 January.
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