Toby Perkins MP visits Yorkshire Water’s Old Whittington Wastewater Treatment Works

Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield visited the Old Whittington Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) operated by Yorkshire Water to see the contribution it is making biogas to local energy and waste recycling needs.

Yorkshire Water’s Old Whittington WWTW provides wastewater treatment services for approximately 100,000 residents in the Chesterfield area.

On 14 March 2025, the local MP for Chesterfield Toby Perkins visited the Old Whittington WWTW, located in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and operated by Yorkshire Water.  Mr Perkins was joined on this visit by representatives from the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), the UK trade body currently campaigning for government to make changes to key policies to help grow the sector and help it play its part in the UK’s Net Zero Transition.

Following the visit, Mr Perkins, said: "This was a great opportunity to learn how Yorkshire Water can power their Wastewater Treatment Centre at Old Whittington through generating power from the methane by-product from sewage waste. It is this sort of innovation that will help ensure the UK meets its Net Zero target.”

Daniel Oldfield, head of bioresources, Yorkshire Water, said:  “It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to show Mr Perkins some of the work that we are undertaking in terms of renewable energies as well as the investment we are making in the Chesterfield area, such as £2.7m at Hill View Road, £5m investment at Oaks Farm Lane, Calow, Avenue Farm, Grassmoor and Oakfield Avenue to reduce discharges into local watercourses, due to complete this year. 

“Our five-year plan will see further infrastructure investment, with £1.5bn set aside to reduce storm overflows and improve water quality in 2025-2030.”

Dr Gareth Mottram, Policy Lead at ADBA, said: "Biogas is a key pillar of renewable energy, providing a consistent and reliable source of power throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions which impact other renewables. With the right policies in place, anaerobic digestion (AD) can support the government in achieving its net zero and levelling up goals. Not only does AD play a crucial role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but it also helps reduce household energy bills and creates green jobs across the country.

Biogas is low regret solution that the government must support to ensure we turn organic waste into a valuable resource for powering homes, businesses, and the wider economy."

ADBA has recently published a report indicating that the use of biogas could cut the cost of meeting Britain’s net zero targets in 2050 by nearly £300 billion against official projections. These findings are the result of new analysis by BMA, drawing on the computer model used by Whitehall.

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) is the trade association for the UK anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas industry. ADBA’s vision is to see the full potential of the UK AD industry realised so it can help the UK achieve its emissions targets and other policy goals, creating a truly circular economy. www.adbioresources.org