Growing proportion of ‘green’ electricity comes from farm waste
Why vegans should think before they switch on a light: Growing proportion of ‘green’ electricity comes from processed livestock farm waste
- Much of the nation’s energy supply does not meet strict vegan standards
- Vegan Society found that suppliers are buying power generated in digesters
- Advocates insist plants are a green way to deal with waste that would be landfill
Vegans could face a dilemma when it comes to turning on the lights or the central heating – as much of the nation’s energy supply does not meet strict vegan standards, it has emerged.
This is because a growing proportion of the nation’s ‘green’ electricity and gas originally comes from processed livestock farm waste.
As such, vegans fear that simple tasks, such as running a hot bath, cooking a meal or reading a book under a bedside lamp, may compromise their principles.
Andover digester: anaerobic digestion is a natural process in which micro-organisms break down the organic matter found in wet biomass waste in the absence of oxygen
The ethical concerns were exposed after the Vegan Society was asked by energy company Ecotricity if it could brand its power as vegan.
The society gave the firm its seal of approval but its wider investigation into the energy industry found that many suppliers, such as British Gas and Good Energy, are buying power generated in anaerobic digestion plants, or digesters.
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Anaerobic digestion is a natural process in which micro-organisms break down the organic matter found in wet biomass waste in the absence of oxygen.
This is typically sewage, animal manure, dairy farm waste and rotten food – including meat.
The process creates biogas which can be burned directly in a gas boiler or cleaned to remove carbon dioxide so that it can be used in the national gas grid as biomethane.
Advocates of this method insist the plants are a green way to deal with waste that otherwise might simply be thrown away and end up in landfill.
Prince Charles has a digester at Poundbury, his new town near Dorchester, Dorset
Prince Charles has a digester at Poundbury, his new town near Dorchester, Dorset, which pumps gas and electricity into the national grid network to power homes and businesses.
And the Queen plans to install a digester at Buckingham Palace to convert food waste, such as leftovers from banquets, into power for the royal residence.
However, the Vegan Society said: ‘Electricity generated from animal products may be green but it cannot be vegan.’
Robbie Lockie, co-founder of Plant Based News, a website for vegan campaigners, agreed that energy generated in this way could never be compatible with veganism.
‘Farm animals generate vast amounts of methane, nitrous oxide and CO2 – all causes of global warming. We have a moral imperative to reduce our carbon footprint. Vegan energy is a way of doing that,’ he told the Sunday Times.
‘Vegans should be told how their electricity is created so they can make an informed decision.’
Two years ago, the Daily Mail revealed how the green energy company Good Energy was taking electricity from an anaerobic digester which was processing slurry and waste from a Somerset pig farm at the centre of cruelty allegations.
Subsequently, the firm demanded an investigation and action to ensure there was no cruelty on the farm and said it ‘stood absolutely against any mistreatment of animals’.
Chief executive Juliet Davenport defended taking biogas from these waste plants, saying: ‘Farms using anaerobic digestion have made a positive choice to be greener.
‘Where animal slurry is used it captures harmful methane that would otherwise make its way into the atmosphere. Anaerobic digestion is a way to improve air quality and reduce global warming.’
Charlotte Morton from the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association said: ‘Digestion gets the most out of waste, converting it into renewable energy and fertiliser.’
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