Power from pig manure planned in Funtington

The project at Basil Baird’s farm will see manure broken down by micro-organisms to produce methane-rich gas that can be used as fertiliser and fuel.

So far, the farm has 2,000 outdoor sows, but the business is looking to invest in new pig buildings and a feed mixing unit for high welfare bacon pigs.

Energy company Farm Renewables Ltd is building the plant, which will use the microbes’ anaerobic digestion to generate electricity for the farm and the grid.

The proposal follows a controversy over a biogas plant at Crouchland Farm, near Billingshurst, which was prohibited from importing waste outside the farm for anaerobic digestion earlier this year.

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