Beyond energy
Supporting Rural Communities
Beyond its role in clean energy, biogas delivers powerful co-benefits across rural economies, agriculture, and the environment. It provides reliable income streams for farmers, who grow rotational energy crops and return nutrient-rich digestate to their soils, improving soil carbon levels, fertility, and long-term productivity. By diversifying crop cycles and reducing reliance on synthetic inputs, biogas supports biodiversity on farmland, encouraging pollinators and regenerative practices. For rural communities, biogas plants bring skilled jobs, stable contracts, and local investment — fostering economic resilience without displacing food production.
Social performance
We have a strong record of contributing towards locally led projects and initiatives that deliver a range of benefits.
Each year, we run a community initiative across selected sites offering funding to local, not-for-profit groups.
Applicants must meet one or more of:
- Social sustainability.
- Environmental sustainability.
- Educational promotion.
To date we have spent over £440k on community projects. In recent years, we have supported community hospitals and food banks, village hall and community centre energy efficiency projects, and wildflower planting. These projects often reflect issues faced in wider society, such as helping to set up a local food bank to reduce the effects of the cost of living crisis. Energy
efficiency projects and biodiversity upgrades also have a positive impact, while aligning closely linked with our values and mission.
We raised £40k in 2019 for comic relief and £21k in 2024 for breast cancer support.