Ironstone Energy has announced proposals to develop a new anaerobic digestion plant on land owned by Buckminster Estate east of Sewstern village on the border between Lincolnshire and Leicestershire border.
The plant would produce biomethane from a variety of energy crops grown nearby as part of a sustainable rotation. These energy crops and the digestate fertiliser by-product returned to the farm, help to decarbonise farming activities and support resilient food crop production.
The project would deliver a range of local benefits, including the creation of new green jobs during construction and operation, a sizeable community fund, and a programme of biodiversity enhancements together with native species planting as part of the landscaping scheme.
Ironstone Energy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Future Biogas Ltd, which has a portfolio of 12 similar facilities. The site has been chosen in conjunction with Buckminster Estate, who would be supplying around half of the crop inputs helping to reduce fossil fuel and artificial fertiliser use and building soil health.
The new plant would produce enough biomethane to heat a town roughly the size of Grantham, replacing fossil gas, which is mostly imported from outside the UK, while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The plant would operate without subsidies, instead selling its gas, via the gas grid, to corporate customers seeking to reduce their environmental impact.
The proposal includes a new access track linking to the B676 designed to minimise any impact of farming traffic on the immediate local road network.
The plans can be viewed at: Sewstern Village Hall, 59 Main St, Sewstern, Grantham NG33 5RQ on Tuesday 10th October 2023, 16.00 – 20.00 and Wednesday 11th October 2023, 10.30 – 16.00
