Proposals to construct an energy plant using waste from a Speyside distillery has been approved by Moray Council.

The anaerobic digestion facility at Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, will use spent malted barley and pot ale from the distilling process. It is understood the plant will be constructed on what is currently at open field in the south-east corner of the site.

Earlier this week, Moray Council's Planning and Regulatory Services Committee heard that the energy generation element of the plans would use biogas produced during the anaerobic digestion process. It would then be cleaned and injected into the national gas network, or processed to generate electricity for the National Grid.


Welcoming the plans, Committee Chairman, Councillor Douglas Ross, said: "This proposed development has been well managed by the applicant as can be seen by the fact that there were no objections to the plans.

"They have worked with the council to ensure this energy plant can be approved and built as quickly as possible to start generating electricity from this anaerobic digestion facility.

"The position of the plant was also sympathetic to the local area and the fact that it will be barely visible to the majority of passers-by is an added bonus given its location near to Dufftown."

(JP/IT)