A FIFE biomass station has warned that "serious harm" could be done to local waterways and rivers when it closes - and claimed the UK Government has not assessed the dangers.
Westfield Biomass Plant is located in Cardenden and processes 90 per cent of Scotland's poultry litter for the production of energy.
From 2002 to 2024, it has been part of the Renewable Obligation, believed to have subsidised energy companies with £113 billion in total.
Since funding ended two years ago, Melton Renewable Energy UK Limited, which operates the Westfield site, has lobbied for support, pressuring the government to make a decision and not leave sites in "indefinite limbo".
CEO Eddie Wilkinson said: “Unless the government acts, Westfield Power Station will close in April 2027, ending a service that Scotland’s poultry sector relies on.
"Westfield manages around 100,000 tonnes of poultry litter each year – about 90 per cent of all Scotland’s total poultry litter.
"Its closure would leave poultry farmers without an established, environmentally compliant and sustainable route for this material at the necessary scale.
"The likely alternative is far greater spreading of litter on land.
"This would increase the risk of nutrient runoff into rivers and waterways, undermining the progress Scotland has made to protect its water environment."
However Michael Shanks, Minister of State for Energy, has this week said that the government won't be providing ongoing support or backing a successor scheme.
The firm said they were disappointed and say that the station contributes to energy security in a period of market volatility and contributes to net-zero targets by capturing carbon.
It added that the impact on the local area includes a loss of income for poultry farmers and environmental problems including river pollution and an increased risk of aviation flu.
Mr Shanks said that sites like Westfield no longer represent "value for money" and are "unlikely to give rise to unmanageable security of supply risks".
He acknowledged that in the event of site closures there may be "adverse impacts on water quality and the protection of our landscapes".
He said DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) had confirmed that there are "well-established guidance and regulatory frameworks" to manage the risks.
Mr Shanks went on to say there was "no evidence" to suggest that an alternative route for sale and sustainable disposal would not be identified.
However, an FOI (Freedom of Information) request suggested that DEFRA had not conducted a detailed analysis of the risks of site closure, including no information on the volume of leftover waste or the costings of dealing with it.
They also admitted that they hadn't carried out a "full environmental assessment", but a partial investigation was looking at the impacts of increases in poultry litter on agricultural land in England.
Mr Wilkinson added: "A short period of transitional support would protect significant local jobs, retain reliable domestic power and avoid creating a preventable waste and water-quality problem.”
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