Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the breakdown of organic waste by bacteria in the absence of oxygen.  This process produces a gas.  This gas can be purified and use to replace natural gas in engines to produce electricity or power vehicles.

AD is increasingly being used as a waste disposal route for organic wastes such as domestic and commercial food waste, agricultural slurries and energy crops.  The biogas from the process is usually used in a combined heat and power plant to produce a renewable source of heat and electricity.  Alternatively the biogas can be cleaned up and used as a biogas in vehicles.

Anaerobic digestion is classed as an advanced conversion technology and as such should be eligible for double ROCs from April 2009.  This financial incentive makes AD plants very attractive to developers.

For more information on AD please use the pages that can be found in the menu on the right.