RAF Marham, the home of the UK’s F-35 multi role combat jets, is set to become the first military airbase to be powered by green electricity…
Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood made the announcement during a visit to a Norfolk biogas plant, where he officially opened the new site that will provide energy to the airbase. Electricity will be fuelled by fermented locally grown crops, providing 95% of RAF Marham’s energy needs and saving the MOD nearly £300,000 every year.
The facility, built by Future Biogas, will generate 4.5 MVA of electricity every day, which can power 350,000 LED bulbs. This project has been delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation with government and private sector colleagues.
Minister for Defence People & Veterans Tobias Ellwood MP said: “RAF Marham is leading the way as Britain’s first green military airbase. The biogas fuel is a truly green and sustainable solution, helping us tackle climate change, support the local economy and save taxpayer money. I hope that this plant can act as a model and we can see more sustainable energy schemes rolled out across other military bases.”
The process, known as Anaerobic Digestion, produces gas which is collected and used to power multiple generators that produce electricity and will reduce the Ministry of Defence’s carbon emissions by 14,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The waste residue from this process can then be dried and used as fertiliser to help grow local crops.
The plans have been in development since February 2015 and DIO, the part of the MOD which manages the Defence Estate, has been hard at work with colleagues in Crown Commercial Service, Future Biogas and energy company EDF to develop an electricity supply that is green and sustainable as well as providing financial savings.
