Hansard

I will try to stick to time, so as not to delay Ms Boyack’s event too much. I join her in thanking Emma Harper for securing the debate. I commend the terms of Ms Harper’s motion, which rightly set out the significant contribution that anaerobic digestion and biogas can make to Scotland’s journey to net zero and to strengthening local economies.

I was keen to speak in the debate from my constituency perspective. In Cumbernauld, there are two anaerobic digestion facilities—one at the Wardpark industrial estate and one at Deerdykes. Emma Harper rightly described Scotland as a world leader in anaerobic digestion, and I am pleased to say that my area has been a leader in Scotland. Cumbernauld and Kilsyth have been at the forefront of developing the technology in Scotland.

Deerdykes was the first large-scale biogas plant in Scotland, opening in 2010. In its first decade of operation, it processed more than 150,000 tonnes of food waste. In 2022, it passed another milestone, having generated 50 gigawatt hours of energy since its opening, which equates to the annual energy use of some 13,500 homes. The facility was built by Scottish Water Horizons, which is a subsidiary of Scottish Water that operates on a commercial basis. Nonetheless, the fact that it is a subsidiary of a public sector agency is a reminder that the public sector can be involved in such processes.

Recently, the facility has been sold to new owners, and it will operate as Deerdykes Bioenergy Ltd, which is looking to significantly expand the operation to provide 100 gigawatt hours of energy each year and provide the annual gas supply for 8,000 homes—10 per cent of the biomethane that is currently used in Scotland. The expansion would result in new operations commencing in 2027, with cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and improvements to the circularity of industry in Scotland.

I very much welcome its plans, which will make a positive contribution to our climate ambitions and to the economy in my area. The sale of the facility from public to private hands raises some questions about the on-going role of the public sector in investing in facilities of this nature, so it would be useful to hear from the cabinet secretary, in closing, the Government’s perspective on having a mixture of private sector and public sector investment in this area and whether the Government sees that as a worthwhile approach.

The other site in my area is Energen Biogas, which is adjacent to my constituency office in Wardpark. It began receiving food waste in 2011 and now supplies 100 Scottish farms, covering more than 100,000 hectares of land, with biofertiliser, and it also produces renewable gas and electricity. Again, it is welcome that there has been such a facility locally, as it provides employment opportunities and contributes positively to our net zero challenges.

In the site’s early days—this speaks to some of the challenges that will occasionally be faced as the sector grows—there were some teething problems. For some time, nearby residents complained of being impacted by noxious odour release, which understandably generated a significant number of complaints and necessitated the involvement of SEPA. To the company’s credit, it took the necessary step to make improvements. That seems to have resolved the issue, but it raises questions about where such facilities should be located. The case of the farm that Emma Harper mentioned pointed to a different context, of locating new facilities near to the source of the material being used, but perhaps there is a wider question about where the facilities should be located.

In planning for an increased number of anaerobic digestion facilities, to add to the 90-odd existing sites in Scotland—which I believe should happen and is necessary—how might the question of where they should be located be factored in, so that there is reduced impact on nearby residents?

I echo the calls for further investment in the sector and for support for the sector. With the right support, it can help to deliver net zero, energy security and a just transition for communities in Scotland. It can also help to generate job opportunities and stimulate the local economy.