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Whyte & Mackay Given Go Ahead For Biogas Plant

Whisky producer Whyte & Mackay has been given permission to construct a biogas plant at its Invergordon distillery, despite objections from local residents.

The council granted planning permission for the anaerobic digester, which will see 20-metre tanks installed on the site to enable the distillery to process spent wash from the distillery and convert this into renewable energy.

This energy will be used onsite and the remainder will be sold back to the National Grid. The firm is also eligible to apply for government funding through the Renewable Heat Incentive, the Ross-shire Journal reported.

Production director at Whyte & Mackay Invergordon Ian Mackie told the newspaper that the new biogas plant is a “significant investment” from the firm and that this will “allow us to continue employing approximately 100 people from the local community and contributing £6 million to the local economy”.

Some local residents raised concerns about the plans and while the plant has been given the go ahead, Whyte & Mackay was awarded planning permission on the condition that it establishes a liaison group to work with local residents to resolve their concerns.

Last month one councillor on the Highland Council told the Inverness Courier that they were seriously considering turning to biogas generators as a way to help with waste management in the region.

Councillor Bill Lobban explained that sooner rather than later, landfill will stop being a viable option for waste disposal and that potential solutions include biogas generators.

 

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