Glenfiddich to use whisky waste for energy generation

Waste created by the production of whisky at plant in Scotland could soon be used to generate green energy. The Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown has been given the go-ahead by councillors to construct a green energy plant that will see the distillery's waste be put to use by creating low-emission energy.

Plans will see the construction of an anaerobic digestion facility on the same site as the distillery, which will create biogas from waste. Pot ale and spent malted barley from the distillery will be used to create the biogas, which will then be cleaned up ready to be used in electricity generation or fed into the gas grid.

Works to build the plant will also see the installation of equipment that will allow for the creation of steam and heat that can be used within the distilling process. The plant will be constructed on a corner of the land used by the distillery, a 1.6 acre set has been set aside for it.

Neal MacPherson, principal planning officer for Moray council, told councillors: "This proposal would see the re-use of by products from the distillation process that would provide and re-use waste and heat, increasing efficiency of the processes at Glenfiddich Distillery, create approximately four new jobs and also provide either electricity or gas that would feed back into the national grid or gas network." 

The use of anaerobic digestion technology at the distillery will help to reduce cost and lower the amount of emissions that the company produces. It is hoped that the plant will be able to be constructed quickly, in order to begin generating energy at the earliest possible time.

The council have commended the fact that the company has been sympathetic to the local community and are planning on constructing it in an area that is not highly visible. There have been no objections to the plans, which will create construction jobs and four new permanent positions.