Planners back farm digesters

Planners back farm digesters

19 December 2012

PLANNERS have approved plans for two of the district’s first anaerobic digestion plants near Clough and outside Crossgar.

The units use plant and animal material to produce methane gas that can be used to provide renewable energy in the form of electricity.

The anaerobic digestion process helps reduce fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the material left over at the end rich in nutrients and can be used as fertiliser.

Details of the proposed plants at the Drumanaghan Road in Clough and at the Ballynahinch Road outside Crossgar were outlined at Monday night’s meeting of Down Council.

Politicians were told the anaerobic digester proposed for the Drumanaghan Road will feature underground tanks and a combined heat and power plant. The construction of a silage storage pit also forms part of the planning application.

The planners’ decision to approve both proposals comes after local farmers met recently to discuss the potential for development of renewable energy products, including anaerobic digestion

Members of the Down District Farmers for Renewable Energy agreed to further investigate high-tech ways of dealing with farm waste to create new income sources, reduce the danger of pollution from run-off, save money on herbicides and produce better grass and other crops.

In the New Year, they are to meet again to explore the anaerobic digestion issue more thoroughly.