Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail the number of anaerobic digestion facilities (i) that are currently operating (ii) that currently hold a Waste Management Licence issued by the NI Environment Agency; and (iii) currently operating that are licensed to treat animal by-products.
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs: Not all anaerobic digesters in Northern Ireland require authorisation from DAERA. Facilities that solely utilise green energy crops as feedstock do not require authorisation from DAERA. The information DAERA holds pertains to those anaerobic digesters that are authorised to utilise waste as feedstock is as follows:
There are 46 anaerobic digesters authorised by Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
There are 11 approved biogas plants in Northern Ireland under Animal By-Products Regulation (EU) No. 142/2011
ENDS
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