Methane emissions from digestate present a critical challenge to the sustainable operation of anaerobic digestion facilities, their regulatory compliance and to the delivery of the Water Sector’s net zero objectives. Bluemethane have developed an innovative, two-stage system focussed on maximising the recovery of dissolved and entrained methane from digestate and then deactivating methanogens to prevent downstream methane formation and emission. In Q2 2026, their commercial-ready technology is being demonstrated on digestate at Cottonvalley Sludge Treatment Centre in a collaborative trial co-funded by multiple utilities (Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, United Utilities, Wessex Water, Welsh Water, Scottish Water, Southern Water), with the Environment Agency as Project Observer. AtkinsRéalis are conducting an independent whole-life carbon assessment based on the trial results. This will benchmark Bluemethane’s performance against other interventions which could be deployed to tackle methane emissions, such as forced aeration for deactivation or the implementation of regenerative thermal oxidation for emissions treatment. Outcomes and learnings from Bluemethane’s trial and AtkinsRéalis’ carbon assessment will be of strategic importance for the bioresources sector. They will provide insight into the critical next steps required to mitigate methane emissions from digestate, and promote compliant, low emissions bioresources centres which are fit for the future.