A Scottish biomethane facility using residues from whisky production is set to produce enough low-carbon gas to meet around 4% of Scotland’s natural gas demand from 2027.
Grissan’s Portside facility in Speyside uses advanced anaerobic digestion (AD) to convert cereal-based feedstocks, including residues from the whisky industry, into biomethane. The plant is expected to produce enough biomethane each year to decarbonise the equivalent of more than 30,000 homes.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) visited the facility during a tour of Scotland’s whisky-producing heartland, as it examines the role biomethane could play in creating a more sustainable and affordable energy system.
According to NESO, biomethane produced from organic residues can displace natural gas and other fossil fuels, with current applications primarily including heating and transport.
Grissan’s process also produces liquid and fibre-based organic soil conditioners, which can be used to support local agriculture and regenerative farming practices.
The company specialises in large-scale AD technology, processing cereal-based feedstocks to produce biomethane alongside these agricultural products.
NESO said the project demonstrates how industrial residues can be incorporated into a circular economy, turning waste streams from established industries into energy and agricultural products.
Craig Dyke, Director of System Operations at NESO, said the visit demonstrated how the whisky industry was adopting new approaches to produce low-carbon energy.
The Scottish whisky industry produces over 4 million tonnes of total co-products and residues each year. ©Shutterstock
“It was great to see the work being done by Grissan in Speyside, using anaerobic technology to create low carbon gas from the residue of the distilling process,” said Dyke.
“Speyside is synonymous with the finest Scotch whisky – an industry which supports 41,000 jobs in Scotland and makes a massive contribution to the economy.”
He added that the facility demonstrated how the traditional whisky industry could support decarbonisation, local farming and the circular economy.
NESO’s comments follow the publication of its biomethane report, which examined the potential benefits of the gas to the wider energy system and the barriers that could need to be addressed if production is to expand.
The report identified the potential for biomethane to scale up, while calling for a strategic, government-led approach involving collaboration across different sectors to maximise its contribution to the energy transition.
Paul Blackler, Managing Director of Grissan Renewable Energy, said NESO’s recognition of biomethane as a strategic technology was an important development for the sector.
“NESO’s recent recognition of biomethane as a strategic technology that provides on-tap green energy is another important step as the industry looks to scale up further in Great Britain.”
Blackler said large-scale facilities could provide a cost-effective route to decarbonisation while also supporting local economic activity.
He added that further facilities could be deployed across the UK, with the potential to replace fossil sources of methane, liquid CO2 and fertiliser.
“The Government must now do all it can to scale-up this crucial industry to deliver a renewable, reliable and ready source of power.”
