Ecotricity plan new grass-to-gas development
The mill, which would use a process called anaerobic digestion to make green gas from grass harvested from local farms, would produce enough clean gas to power the equivalent of over 6000 homes every year, along with supporting local farmers and improving land quality and wildlife habitats.
The fuel produced would be injected straight into the national grid, with the natural fertiliser by-product that is left behind going back onto farmland, while the project is also hoped to put £3m into the local economy through supply contracts and employment each year, as well as putting £60m into the local economy and supporting around 30 jobs.
Dale Vince, Ecotricity founder, emphasises how the world has to stop burning fossil fuels in the next few decades, having pledged to reduce global warming in the historic Paris deal last year, and believes the proposed project can help.
“That’s where green gas comes in – it gives us all the benefits and flexibility of gas as a fuel, but in a carbon neutral way. There’s a whole new industry waiting to be created here, which has the potential to be a big part of Britain’s green economy and make a significant contribution to our energy independence – all of these benefits without fracking the countryside,” he said.
“We’ve carried out public consultation over the past few months with the councils, farmers and residents – and we’ve had some very positive feedback. There have been concerns too, of course – mostly about the possibility of extra farm traffic on local roads.
“The planning application addresses these concerns, and we can reassure people that the Green Gas Mill will only receive normal farm traffic such as tractors and trailers typical of the countryside, not lorries.
“We’ll ensure deliveries don’t happen during peak traffic times, tractors stick to main roads wherever possible, and even at the busiest times of year, during harvest, feedstock movements will be well within the capacity of the road network. Fiddington will be one of the first Green Gas Mills we’re looking to build in Britain – one of the first in what will be a green gas revolution in this country.”
