Summary
Output improving, but majority not at target output
- Significant growth in the UK AD market, with over 255 farm AD CHP plants registering over the past 10 years.
- Steady improvement in capacity factor over past 10 years with the average in 2017 being 86.3%, up from 29% in 2008.
- On average, in the first year of operation, farm-fed AD plants achieve 54% capacity factor, in the second year 69% and 75% in the third year of operation.
- 53% of plants are not achieving a capacity factor of over 90%, after three years of operation.
- Smaller plants are using more heat for RHI eligible purposes than larger plants, the small (sub 200kW), and large (600kW plus) biogas tariffs achieving 47% and 25% heat use respectively.
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