Animal manure supplies entire town with biogas

In the United Kingdom, Devon Live reports a town has become the first in the country to get all its gas supply and nearly half their electricity from biogas – the anaerobic digestion of animal waste. South Molton’s AD facility uses crops and poultry waste to create enough renewable energy to provide gas to the entire town, which has a population of approximately 5,000.

The biogas is turned into renewable energy and injected directly into the gas and electricity grid by the facility. The feedstock is sourced from local farmers, mostly crops and chicken feces.

Ixora Energy which run the plant told Devon Live they are leading the way in helping the UK produce renewable energy in the midst of an energy crisis and is also helping the Government meet its Net Zero targets.

Darren Stockley, managing director for Condate Biogas, told Devon Live, “Thanks to operating efficiencies, we are now capable of generating enough renewable electricity to supply 70 per cent of South Molton with renewable electricity and we could increase our gas output to cover over 3000 homes. This means we could supply a wider range of villages and neighbourhoods around South Molton. We hope to be in a position to be able to deliver the additional energy soon because we believe that locally produced renewable energy provides the key to solving the current UK energy crises.”