New draft end-of-waste QP for biomethane and AD

The Environment Agency has today (31 January) published a ‘revised draft end of waste Quality Protocol (QP) for biomethane from landfill gas and anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste’ with the aim of reducing regulatory barriers surrounding its recovery.

Developed by the EA in partnership with WRAP under the EU Life+ funded European Pathway to Zero Waste (EPOW), the QP follows on from a public consultation of an earlier draft QP (between July and September 2012) and sets out criteria for the production of biomethane from waste which will allow for injection to the gas grid and use in 'suitably designed appliances (vehicles, engines, fuel cells and heating appliances) without the need for waste management controls’. 

It is expected that the QP for biomethane will be implemented in autumn 2013 following notification under the EU Technical Standards and Regulations Directive, a process likely to take between three and six months.

Gas-to-Grid

JV Energen's biogas plant at Poundbury (opened in 2012) is the UK's ‘first’ commercial-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) and biomethane-to-grid plant

According to the EA, gas-to-grid biomethane plants are ‘the most efficient use of biomethane’, but due to regulatory barriers, only a ‘handful’ are operational in the UK.

EPOW Programme Director, Margaret Doherty said: “A Quality Protocol for biomethane could bring significant benefits for the economy and the environment. 

“The QP sets out carefully considered quality criteria which, if met, mean that biomethane from landfill and AD using waste can be considered to be a product rather than a waste, and need not be subject to waste management controls. 

"This would remove a practical barrier to its use – particularly for injection to the gas grid – and help pave the way for more schemes like Poundbury to make a substantial contribution to renewable energy targets and reduced reliance on imported gas. Resulting growth in AD would in turn bring benefits in reducing waste to landfill.”

Revision

As part of the revision process, the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), charged with offering guidance to the QP development process, reviewed comments received during public consultation last year.

TAG is composed of industry representatives from the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ABDA), Renewable Energy Association (REA), the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), as well as gas distribution network operators and ‘other interest groups’.

It found that the original proposals required ‘simplification and rationalisation of compliance monitoring requirements’ as they could prove ‘overly burdensome, particularly in relation to biomethane from AD biogas and for smaller operations’.

Additionally, possible end uses for ‘QP compliant biomethane’ have been revised to include ‘use in appliances suitably designed and operated for natural gas’ (formerly ‘use in road vehicles’), in addition to injection into the gas grid.

Policy Manager at ABDA, Matt Hindle, said: “Addressing barriers to biomethane projects is vital to realise the benefits which green gas could bring in the UK.A Quality Protocol for biomethane will allow developers and operators to avoid the cost and risk of waste management controls, which will be a welcome step.

“This consultation offers the industry a chance to comment on the proposals. These have changed considerably since the previous draft was released in 2012, with a much less burdensome compliance regime and expanded end markets.”

The revised QP will remain open to comment until 28 February 2013 on the EPOW website.