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30 min ago 3 min read
The prospect of hosting a Vegetarian Society presentation at a BCGA conference may have seemed fanciful 10 years ago.
But given rising pressures on land, scrutiny over meat consumption and methane emissions, and the need to power supply chains sustainably – coupled with global attention on fossil fuels in the current Middle East crisis, and in an age of global warming – the links between vegetarianism and industrial gases are growing.
CEO Richard McIlwain underlined the importance of accreditation, which is vital as it provides guaranteed, independent verification that products and menus meet strict ethical standards – such as being free from animal slaughter products, GMOs and cross-contamination.
This in turn builds consumer trust, simplifies ethical shopping and helps businesses stand out in a competitive market.
He highlighted work with two accredited companies that are producing biogenic CO2.
One is , whose biomethane facility produces “multiple outputs” from rich digestate to energy.
“It’s a great example of how investing in a technology such as anaerobic digestion, it isn’t just about developing a compressed gas,” he said.
The second is Blended Products, which specialises in anaerobic digestion using entirely plant-based products, derived from a mix of waste from agriculture.
“It actively reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, which is critical,” he said. “If you’re doing it, it’s absolutely beneficial to become accredited.”
The lag effect of the Middle East war is now starting to bite, whether it is Asian semiconductor firms scrambling to secure helium or European nations ensuring they have adequate CO2 stockpiles.
CO2 challenges stem from a heavy reliance on byproducts from fertiliser and ethanol production, making supply vulnerable to energy price spikes.
Shortages create immediate bottlenecks in food processing (meat packing), carbonated beverage production, and greenhouse agriculture, with limited and often costly alternatives.
McIlwain said whether to allocate land for crops for food or to grow crops for energy is a “live debate”.
“I think it’s fine that there are no specific answers or outcomes at the moment because what we need to have is that debate,” he said.
“The UK government is leading on that … it has got a land use framework. Clearly if we’re using manures for powering anaerobic digestion plants, there’s going to be a question in future. From my point of view, I would like to see animal agriculture on a steep decline.”
“None of this is necessarily easy. If you have a very dry summer, the grass doesn’t grow and that affects animal farming as much as horticulture and arable. So we need to be thinking about the next 10, 20 and 30 years and the changing climate, and what does that mean for the UK?”
