WRAP launches Fund for Small Scale On Farm Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Facilities
The UK’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has today launched the On Farm Loan Fund which will make up to £400,000 of funding available to farmers looking to develop anaerobic digestion biogas facilities on their farms. WRAP explained that the first stage of the On Farm AD Fund, launched in October 2013, offers grants of up to £10,000 per farm to help farmers develop business plans for on farm AD projects, and has already received nearly 400 enquiries. The organisation added that the second stage is a loan, funded by Defra and managed by WRAP, which aims to support the construction of on-farm AD plants generating less than 250kW of energy, and which will utilise biowaste produced by farms, such as manures and slurries. The fund is part of a £3 million initiative to help farmers in England build small scale AD plant. “Having a small scale facility on site will help farmers to improve their manure and slurry management and environmental controls, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security,” explained Dr Liz Goodwin, CEO WRAP. “There are additional benefits from this approach as the digestion process makes the nutrients in farm wastes more readily available for crop uptake,” she continued. Environment Minister, Dan Rogerson added: “The loans that are now available will encourage the anaerobic digestion sector to grow. This will strengthen local economies by producing local energy, cutting waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and recycling valuable nutrients back into the land.” The capital loan fund is designed to support farmers who are finding it difficult to obtain asset finance for such projects from the usual commercial sources, and comprises of a maximum loan per farm of £400,000, or 50% of the capital. Quick facts: Lending amounts: £50,000 to £400,000 Farmers need to match the value of loan with finance from other sources. Interest rates for the loan vary between 3% – 12% depending on the risk and the individual details of the project. Loan tenures are offered up to seven years and there are different repayment options available The loan will be made available on a commercial basis and therefore does not conflict with eligibility to claim from incentives schemes such as FiTs It is not necessary to have been awarded an On Farm AD grant prior to applying for the loan - however a business plan must have been completed. More information can be found HERE Read More Bacardi Gets into the Spirit of Recycling Demolition Waste Bacardi has achieved zero waste to landfill on works to demolish six buildings at its rum distillery in Cataño, Puerto Rico, where it recycled 2300 tonnes of rubble as well as all of the steel from the buildings $4bn Loan Guarantees for U.S. Renewables Including Biofuel & Waste to Energy The DoE has issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation for innovative renewable energy technologies, including waste to energy and biofuels, worth as much as $4 billion. Second 50 MW Plasma Gasification Waste to Energy Plant Underway in Teesside, UK Construction work has begun on Air Products’ second 50 MW plasma gasification waste to energy facility on Teesside, North East England.