A clearer regulatory picture emerges

A common barrier in the transition between development and rollout of a new technology lies in regulation.

Innovation means pushing the boundaries, and policy often lags behind, causing problems and delays for those cutting-edge organisations trialling new approaches.

The ALG-AD project is working with NNFCC, a leading bio economy consultancy, to clarify where current regulatory barriers exist in relation to our work, where we are using the digestate from AD to cultivate microalgae. Our review will identify where there are grey areas which need addressing to enable larger scale adoption.

The initial regulatory review is in progress, and has highlighted that there are indeed challenges in this area – but the team are also working to provide guidance for stakeholders to navigate this difficult area.

“Regulation and policy have always been known risks for ALG-AD, and long term rollout is dependent on us being able to provide clear advice to stakeholders, and input on changes needed to policy makers.” said project manager, Louise Hall.

“The fact we are starting to demystify the many tiers of legislation associated with AD, algae production and animal feed is of great significance to the project, and will be exceptionally important to the project team, and wider AD community”