The Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA), the UK’s leading trade body for anaerobic digestion (AD),  has announced that it is recruiting a new Chair to lead the association into its second decade.

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of ADBA,  announced at the ADBA National Conference 2018 this morning that on its tenth anniversary, ADBA will create a new role of Chair to lead the association into its second decade, supported by ADBA’s Advisory Board and the executive team.

The new appointment is aimed at helping ADBA to drive the growth of an industry that can reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by close to 5%, improve its energy and food security, and create tens of thousands of jobs throughout the UK, with opportunities to export into a global market estimated to have a £1 trillion market potential.

The new Chair will be responsible for leading the association’s strategy, developing its business plan, representing the association at the highest levels, and engaging with ADBA’s members. The chosen candidate is likely to be a high-profile figure with extensive experience in the AD sector and with exciting and deliverable ideas for ensuring the UK AD industry can grow to meet its full potential.

Recruitment for the role will kick off in earnest in the New Year, with a view to the new Chair being in place by the time the association celebrates its tenth anniversary in autumn 2019. Interested candidates should contact Ms Morton in the first instance.

Once the Chair is in place, Ms Morton will continue on ADBA’s Advisory Board and in her associated role of Chief Executive of We Are Orchard, the company that has been providing association management services to ADBA (as well as other green sector trade associations including the World Biogas Association) for the past three years.

In this role, Ms Morton will be responsible for the delivery of the new ADBA Chair’s strategy and business plan. The operation and administration of ADBA will otherwise remain unchanged.

Speaking at the opening of the ADBA National Conference 2018 in Westminster today, Ms Morton said:

“As ADBA prepares to celebrate ten successful years of supporting the growth of the UK’s AD industry and helping to decarbonise the UK economy, the aim is for the new Chair to be in place to take forward ADBA’s exciting vision for its second decade, which will see the industry build on its success to date and grow to meet its exceptional potential.

“ADBA’s new Chair will be responsible for developing and taking forward the association’s vision, strategy, and business plan and will be a high-profile figurehead for the industry. They will work closely with our members, the Advisory Board, and all key stakeholders to create an exciting new chapter in the story of this vital technology and grow ADBA’s membership to build on existing opportunities both here in the UK and abroad.

“With so much uncertainty as a result of Brexit and a changing political landscape, it’s vital that ADBA stays one step ahead of the game to ensure that we put the AD industry in the best possible position to meet its full potential over the coming years. With the support of ADBA’s Advisory Board, the new Chair will help take the association and the industry to a new level, and will take forward our focus on benchmarking excellence, which started last year with the launch of the AD Certification Scheme.”

The UK AD industry has the potential to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 5% (helping to decarbonise heat, transport, and agriculture), meet 30% of domestic energy demand, and help restore soils through the spreading to land of natural fertiliser from the AD process.

There are hopes that a possible commitment to universal food waste collections in the forthcoming Resources & Waste Strategy and increased support for on-farm AD on the back of the government’s changes to farming support will allow more organic wastes to be sent for recycling through AD over the coming years.

Founded in 2009, ADBA currently has over 400 members including AD operators, equipment suppliers, finance specialists, farmers, academics, waste management companies and gas distribution networks.