INSTEAD of spreading animal waste on the land and having it run into our lakes and rivers, we could use it to produce electricity, biomethane (‘renewable gas’) and “sustainable” fertiliser.

That was the tantalising, if slightly unappetising, promise of a UUP motion passed almost unanimously by the Assembly on Monday. Only the TUV raised on objection.

The motion called on the Executive to deliver this vision by developing a strategy for anaerobic digestion “as a matter of urgency”.

Similar signals have recently been emanating from the agrifood industry. There is a push on to promote this approach.

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Anaerobic digesters are vats of fermenting animal and food waste – they can take this from kitchen bins as well as from farms.

Biomethane comes out of the top, which can be burned to generate electricity or fed into the natural gas network and piped to our homes. Heat can also be captured for nearby buildings.

Digesters already produce about 4% of Northern Ireland’s electricity and small amounts of biomethane have been added to our gas supply since 2023.

What is left at the bottom of the digester is a sludge called digestate that can be used as........

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