From “smelly waste” to “fluffy energy”

The Comhairle has been praised for a “bold” strategy which could lead to developments covering the whole Western Isles. The fuel produced in Benbecula will now be exported in “fluffy” form to a mainland power station.

Lee Knott, chief executive of Wiltshire-based biotech company Advetec with whom the Comhairle have partnered, told the Gazette: “This is the beginning of their strategy and I think it’s pretty bold. That horrible smelly waste is going to make a fuel which will heat people’s homes.

“Black bag waste is full of organic material and quite wet. Our bugs are essentially a rapid composting process. They do it in 48 hours and you’re left with a very dry, very fluffy high calorific product which replaces coal or wood in generating energy”.

The move towards on-island solutions is driven by legislation which will ban waste going to landfill.

At a recent Comhairle meeting councillors were told to expect “an obligation to send residual (i.e. black bag) waste to be treated as Energy from Waste to the mainland at significantly higher cost”.

This raises the need for the same technology being applied across the islands.

Mr Knott said: “Uist and Barra are their most immediate problem. I think they are using this almost as a trial.

"Once it is installed, they are likely to take a more holistic view across the whole of the Western Isles”.

The £1.2 million, eight year contract with Advetec is believed to be the first of its kind and is likely to go live by the end of February.

The council expect to process up to 10 tonnes daily of black bag waste into “solid recovered fuel” at Market Stance.

The Comhairle says it “marks a revolutionary shift for the isles, as waste management transitions from costly, carbon-intensive practices to a highly efficient, climate-conscious approach that paves the way for greener and more affordable waste solutions”.

Advetec’s process uses “unique blends of bacteria”.

The company states: “The highly sought-after fuel emits 95 per cent less carbon dioxide equivalent than fossil fuels and is helping some of the world’s most carbon-heavy industries reduce their reliance on traditional energy sources”.

Comhairle leader Paul Steele said: “This investment is hugely beneficial for the people of the Western Isles and our local environment.

"Our new approach reduces the number of trucks and ferries required to move waste around the isles and will transform it into a commodity.

“Converting this waste into fuel is a much more sustainable solution and allows us to extract greater value from something once deemed worthless. It also prepares us for the 2026 ban on biodegradable waste sent to landfills.”

Mr Knott said: “From our first meeting with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, they demonstrated a genuine appetite to embrace positive change and overhaul their waste habits.

"Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the first council to harness innovation in this way, and we expect more to follow suit quickly.”