Deadline rallying call over £36m Acorn Energy Fearn biogas plant appeal

CAMPAIGNERS fighting a “disastrous” £36m Easter Ross biogas plant bid are rallying opponents to sign a petition ahead of a crucial looming deadline.

Acorn Energy says the plant it wants to build on land near Fearn Aerodrome would generate enough biomethane to heat around 8000 homes.

Highland Council rejected the application with an unacceptable risk to aviation safety amongst reasons cited.

It also raised concerns over the plant's use of vent flares to burn excess biogas and its proximity to distillery warehouses.

Acorn Energy has appealed the knockback and submitted an environmental impact assessment which it says identifies “mitigation measures where necessary” and concludes that the likely effects on air quality, noise, cultural heritage, and the natural environment are “not significant”.

The Scottish Government reporter who will now determine the appeal gave an extension until March 31 - Monday of next week - for comments.

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A petition opposing the move - titled STOP THE GAS PLANT - Acorn's Anaerobic Digester Plant in Fearn - has just hit 2500 signatures.

It says the proposal is one of the worst examples of the “disastrous” renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme “benefiting the few (international investors, local land-owner and multinational distillery) on the back of the many, while caring little for the extensive economic/environmental damage reaped upon our wider community and small businesses.”

The petition states: “This development would deliver a highly explosive plant adjacent to a small local distillery, a training airfield and in close proximity to industrial scale distilled spirit storage units - what could the consequences be should an Oxfordshire type explosion occur with the closest emergency response being close to an hour away?”

It adds: “We already anticipate increased heavy traffic from Glenmorangie’s expanding storage facility, on top of which this development would present [up to a] further 130 heavy vehicle movements per day during harvest, which coincides with peak tourist season on our poorly maintained narrow/ rural roads!”

It warns Acorn’s scoping report attempts to secure the “bare minimum” environmental assessment (EIA) whilst a “comprehensive” EIA is essential.

The petition warns of dangers due to potential major accidents; air and water pollution; loss of food-producing farmland and “existential damage to local businesses, particularly farming and tourism, the cornerstone of our Highland economy”.

Acorn has said as part of the anaerobic digestion process, it will capture, upgrade and liquify all CO2 which can then be sold to businesses for industrial use.

It has told Highland Council: “The EIA Report has identified mitigation measures where necessary, and concludes that the likely effects on air quality, noise, cultural heritage, and the natural environment are considered as not significant.”

The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-gas-plant-acorn-s-anaerobic-digester-plant-in-fearn

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