Biofuels offering a lifeline

Michael Fishwick, director of Renovare Fuels, was the latest contributor to our Outlook 2026 feature and he described how the UK's renewable energy sector was approaching a critical juncture that could undermine decades of progress in waste management and carbon reduction. By 2031, around 80 anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities processing food waste will progressively reach the end of their government-accredited lifespan, threatening to create a domino effect across our waste infrastructure. With major maintenance bills looming – including Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system overhauls costing upwards of £350,000 (€403,000) per facility – many operators are questioning whether to continue without the certainty of future revenue streams. If these AD plants shut down, we risk reversing years of environmental progress just as the UK doubles down on its net-zero commitments. Infrastructure development While the five years from now to 2031 might seem like adequate planning time, in infrastructure development terms, it's the blink of an eye. Major industrial transitions require...