Renewable energy firm, Local Power, has lodged a “farmer-led” planning application to develop a new 4MW biomethane and bio fertiliser project in the north east of the country.
The exact location of the proposed project has not been disclosed by Local Power whose managing director is Pat Smith, the former chief executive of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).
According to the renewable energy firm its proposed biomethane/fertiliser project will require 3,000 acres of grass or maize silage to power the plant.
Biomethane potential in Ireland
Biomethane is a renewable gas that can be produced from grass, silage, manure and food waste through the anaerobic digestion (AD) process.
Pat Smith, believes that the government’s Climate Action Plan 2023, published last week, underlines the potential for biomethane projects in Ireland.
In the Climate Action Plan the government set out its ambition to support the production of 5.7 terawatt-hour (TWh) “based on agricultural feedstocks” by 2030.
It estimates that in order to meet this target between 150 to 200 AD plants will need to be developed.
The Climate Action Plan highlights how the Department of Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) will ” assess available financial opportunities and mobilise funds where available.”
Viable AD sector
According to Smith the government has a key role to play as an “enabler” to support development of biomethane projects and has welcomed the latest Climate Action Plan as a “positive step”.
But he said the government needs to clearly outline what financial supports will be in place to support both farmers and the AD sector to start putting the “building blocks” in place to develop a “viable AD sector” in Ireland.
“The government needs to come forward with once-off capital grant supports to assist in the construction of agri-based AD facilities,” Smith added.
But he is optimistic that with the publication of the Climate Action Plan there is now a roadmap for AD in Ireland.
“For the first time I see that the potential – with the introduction by the government of the Renewable Heat Obligations by 2024 and the growing demand for biomethane -for these type of projects to be economically viable.
“If the government do what they are promising do to provide capital support for the development of a biomethane industry then the economics stack up, particularly when you consider how biomethane can play a key part in meeting climate action targets.”
He believes Local Power’s proposed project “will provide a template for the future development of farmer-led and owned bio methane and biofertilizer facilities.”