The facility will take agricultural feedstocks and wastes from local farms and turn it into renewable gas and produce digestate, a byproduct of the AD process and a natural fertiliser that replaces artificial and expensive alternatives.
Stuart Rennie, Managing Director of Renewable Gases UK at Engie, said: “Farm waste in the local area is currently largely spread to land which releases carbon into the atmosphere. Our plans would instead see it used to generate a local supply of green gas which is all part of our national mission to make farming more sustainable and support the UK’s decarbonisation journey.
Rennie added that the facility create local jobs and support projects in the community through a dedicated Community Benefit Fund.
The proposal is being brought forward in response to the UK’s legally binding target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Part of the challenge will be reducing the carbon footprint of both the UK’s energy consumption and agricultural sector, something North Yorkshire Council is addressing with its adopted Climate Change Strategy.
Once completed, the facility will: provide enough renewable gas to supply 5,200 homes, provide a source of income for local farmers and also produce a natural sustainable organic fertiliser to enhance soils on local agricultural land.
It is expected that North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plans early in the new year. If approved, work is anticipated to start by summer 2025.
ENGIE has been closely involved in the development of the anaerobic digestion market and already operates several AD plants across the South West of England.
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