Plans to use a by-product of the whisky making process to generate electricity at a Diageo distillery in Fife have been given permission by the local council.
The £65 million 5.5 megawatt biomass power plant at Scotland's largest distillery was given the green light by the Leavenmouth area committee.
Diageo claims the project at its Cameronbridge site in Windygates will generate 80 per cent of the distillery's electricity while cutting its carbon dioxide emissions by about 56,000 tonnes.
The plant will burn biomass removed from the distillery's effluent, improving the quality of the water discharged into the Forth.
A mixture of wheat, malted barley, yeast and water will be burned to generate electricity and heat – which will provide 98 per cent of the plant's steam.
Once the solids are removed from the water, it will pass through an anaerobic digestion tank, where bacteria will break down any remaining nutrients to produce biogas.
Planning officer Elspeth Cook said the plant would operate 24 hours a day, the Courier reports.
Councillor Ally Hunter told the newspaper: "It's a significant step forward environmentally and I think Diageo should be congratulated. It sets the bar higher for others to follow and I’m really proud to have this in this area."
E.ON operates one of the largest dedicated biomass plants at Steven's Croft in Scotland.
The largest integrated energy company has also secured planning permission to build a new renewable energy plant at the site of a former coal-fired power station in Sheffield.
