This document summarizes a panel discussion on developing successful business plans for anaerobic digestion projects. The panelists include representatives from law, finance, and engineering firms. They emphasize that risk mitigation is key to standing out to funders. Business plans should identify risks like issues in commissioning, design, feedstocks, and control/monitoring and detail how the project will address each risk. The executive summary is especially important and should be no more than two pages, clearly conveying the project fundamentals to influence the funding decision.

1. FEASIBLE AD PROJECTS –
DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS PLANS
#UKADBiogas @adbioresources
PANEL:
ANNE LALEMAN, ALPHA FINANCIALS ENVIRONMENTAL
CATH ANTHONY, BIDWELLS LLP
SONYA BEDFORD, STEPHENS SCOWN LLP
PHIL GREENAWAY, EVERGREEN GAS

2. Sonya Bedford
Head of Renewable Energy
Stephens Scown LLP
Tel: 01392 210700
Email: renewables@
stephens-scown.co.uk
Web: www.stephens-scown.co.uk
Anaerobic digestion
Preparing your business case

3. How do you make your application stand out

4. The Funder’s Decision Making Process
• You get one chance to make a first impression
• The Executive Summary will dictate the decision
• No more than 2 sides A4 for the Executive
Summary
• Rest of the Business Plan is for the decision maker
to justify his decision

5. Risk Mitigation
How To Make Your Plan Stand Out
• Any decision maker has to cover his tracks
• A plan with the risks identified will stand out
• Risk mitigation protects all stakeholders

6. Key risks - Commissioning
• The most crucial stage of a project – get this wrong
and gas production could be 40%+ down
• The focus must be getting a healthy bug
population – not how much feedstock is going into
the digester
• Within your plan detail who is going to be doing
what, and when
• Role of plant manager is key

7. Key risks - Design Issues
• Involve Your Insurance Company at the Design
Satge
• Their Risk Assessor’s have looked at 100’s of sites
• Learn from the knowledge they have acquired
• In your plan detail the input from the Insurer’s

8. Key risks - Feedstocks and Digestate
• Security of supply of inputs
• No security of supply – no business
• Term of any finance will be limited to term of
security of supply
• 95% of what goes in comes out – do you have the
land to spread it on or a contract with someone
who can take the digestate

9. Key Risks – Control + Monitoring
If you detail your control +
monitoring protocols the lender will
know you are serious!
What are your daily procedures
going to be?

10. Key Risks – Control + Monitoring
Log volume of biogas produced in last 24hrs
Log % of methane in biogas
Log % of Hydrogen sulphide in biogas
Log plant temperature
Log feed type and volume
Sample test pH and conductivity and log results
Log any plant issues and changes to conditions
Generate run charts for logged criteria
Check plants systems in line with maintenance plan.
Load plant in accordance with plan ensure correct dry matter content in plant is maintained
DailyChecks

11. Take sample and measure pH, Conductivity, FOS/TAC ratio, volatile fatty acids, log data
Sample any new feedstocks and check dry matter and volatile solids, log data
Weekly plant checks in line with maintenance plan.
Add micro nutrients, defined quantity.
Review meeting to cover results and refine feed plan for the next week.
Key Risks – Control + Monitoring
WeeklyChecks

12. Mike Rowe – Renewables Consultant
65 million people living on an island with the
sustainable resources for 35 million is a
spectacle of majesty and insecurity we can ill
afford
Winston Churchill 1950 - updated by Mike Rowe 2013

13. “ If you’re looking to
raise funding for your AD
project demonstrating
your approach to risk
mitigation is key ”

14. The information in this presentation is intended to be general information
only and should not be interpreted as legal advice. English law is subject to
change so whilst Stephens Scown LLP seeks to ensure the information
contained in this presentation is up to date and accurate, the law can
change quickly and no guarantee is made as to its accuracy which means
the information should not be relied upon. Presentation slides should not
be viewed as an alternative to professional advice and Stephens Scown LLP
does not accept liability for any action taken or not taken as a result of this
information.
Disclaimer

15. FEASIBLE AD PROJECTS –
DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS PLANS
#UKADBiogas @adbioresources
PANEL:
ANNE LALEMAN, ALPHA FINANCIALS ENVIRONMENTAL
CATH ANTHONY, BIDWELLS LLP
SONYA BEDFORD, STEPHENS SCOWN LLP
PHIL GREENAWAY, EVERGREEN GAS