One solution to rising temperatures, is increased use of anaerobic digestion (AD) to generate renewable gas. AD is a trusted process for producing biogas from agri-food waste and other by-products, generating gas that can be upgraded to biomethane for grid injection.
Before the COP29 summit, it was announced that 2024 will likely be the warmest on record, with global temperatures on track to be 1.5° above pre-industrial levels.
We need to continue focusing on reducing carbon emissions and finding new ways to live sustainably without fossil fuels.
This process reduces carbon emissions and generates a nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser by-product known as digestate, which enables simpler nitrate management and sustainable farming.
A single biomethane plant can produce enough gas each year to heat thousands of Irish homes and contribute to the Irish Government’s ambition to produce 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane by 2030.
AD plant operation brings wider benefits
Along with AD plant outputs, the construction and operation of a plant bring wider benefits.
For farmers, supplying feedstock like slurry and manure generates a long-term, stable solution to waste management and offers peace of mind for those concerned with nitrate derogation.
Farmers can turn slurry from an expensive problem to be managed into an opportunity by selling it to AD plants for feedstock.
This is particularly helpful for smaller farms, as it removes the need for renting additional land or building new storage facilities.
Farming families can also choose to partner with an AD developer to sell or let land for plant sites, gaining access to low-cost digestate.
Compared to synthetic fertilisers, digestate provides a more balanced nutrient profile that better supports healthy crop growth and protects water courses from nitrate run-off.
For local communities, each biomethane plant generates jobs during construction and local green jobs in plant operations. This will bring new, long-term sustainable employment to Irish farming communities.
New investment in four sites in Ireland
CycleØ recently announced plans to invest in 4 new biomethane plants in Ireland. The four plants in counties Kildare, Cavan, Galway and Limerick are expected to generate a total of 160 GWh of biomethane annually – enough to heat over 12,000 Irish homes for a year.
As part of the development process, CycleØ will work closely with communities near the plants, local planning authorities and key stakeholders such as the operator of the national gas network, Gas Networks Ireland.
Local public meetings will be held close to each of the plants and residents can find information about these on the CycleØ Facebook page and website.
CycleØ is based in Ireland and headed locally by country manager, James Manley – who is from a multi-generational Cork farming family.
The company is an expert biomethane plant developer, with facilities planned and already operating elsewhere in Europe.
CycleØ has successfully deployed ammoniacal nitrate stripping technology in Spain which produces a digestate by-product that can be used directly on the land to support soil health and local water resources.
Securing the future of farming
John Hanrahan, who farms a 400-cow dairy herd and pig production unit outside Granagh, Co. Limerick is one farmer who has partnered with CycleØ to build an AD plant.
John sees this plant as another step towards sustainability: “We decided to partner with CycleØ to secure the future of our farm. We’re looking at our slurry as a fertiliser, not waste,” he said.
“Partnering with CycleØ will help us incorporate it into our system,” John added.
Speaking about the plants, Gas Networks Ireland Biomethane Programme manager Padraig Fleming, said:
“Gas Networks Ireland recently published its Pathway to a Net Zero Carbon Network, which outlines how we aim to transform the gas network by replacing natural gas with renewable biomethane.
“To deliver this strategy, we will be focused on working with biomethane producers such as CycleØ and others to facilitate increased biomethane injection across the network.
We believe the establishment of these anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities by Cycle Ø will greatly benefit the rural communities in which they operate.
“In addition to reducing on-farm emissions, the establishment of a sustainable renewable gas industry could also provide significant opportunities for local farmers through the sale of feedstocks, and usage of digestate, a bio-fertiliser, that is a by-product of the AD process.”
If you’re a farmer looking to become a feedstock supplier, or have land to sell or lease, get in contact with CycleØ today.
Visit www.cycle0.com/farmers for FAQs and follow CycleØ on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
