A new “green gas” facility in Suffolk is set to fuel thousands of homes with sustainable energy after connecting to the National Grid.

The anaerobic digestion plan operated by Biocore Environmental Ltd in Ellough near Beccles, will turn locally-grown crops, such as maize, into gas to heat as many as 7,000 local households.

The £15million facility is the first “gas to grid” project completed by Biocore, which aims to carry out a further 80 similar schemes over the next eight years.

Biocore managing director Peter Carey said the company was “delighted” to have made the connection.

“This plant will provide a number of benefits to farmers in the region whilst contributing significant renewable energy to the local and national grid,” he added.

“It is one of the most efficient uses of biogas and reduces reliance on imported fossil gas, thus contributing to meeting the UK’s renewable energy and climate change targets whilst improving our energy security.”

Local farmers who will supply the plant with cops have also welcomed the project’s completion. The plant will use “break crops”, which are planted in between other harvests to keep the land fertile. The anaerobic digestion process will also produce organic fertiliser, which the farmers can use.

Johnathan Mitchell, chairman of the Cantley Beet Group, said: “We are delighted to be suppling Ellough AD with feedstock from the local area. This will give us another market and a secure a source of organic fertiliser for many years to come.”

Sotterley Farms’ manager Simon Thompson added:“The Ellough Biogas project has brought an exciting new marketing opportunity to local farmers by an energy producer that is wholly committed to this pioneering renewable project.”