Written question asked by Jess Asato (Labour) on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 17 November 2025. It was answered by Michael Shanks (Labour) on Friday, 21 November 2025 on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Anaerobic Digestion and Biomethane

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of granting Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project status to large-scale anaerobic digestion and biomethane facilities; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project status designation on (a) the delivery of large-scale anaerobic digestion and biomethane projects and (b) the UK' net zero and energy security targets.

Answer: The Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime streamlines planning for major projects, making processes faster and fairer for developers and communities. Large-scale infrastructure is vital for secure, reliable, and affordable energy while meeting decarbonisation targets. Biomethane supports these goals as a low-carbon, domestically produced energy source. The Department is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other stakeholders to identify the best ways to enable deployment of larger anaerobic digestion and biomethane plants, including assessing whether NSIP designation is the most effective approach to remove barriers and accelerate delivery toward achieving the UK’s net zero targets.

Secondary information