Green Generation, located in Nurney, Co. Kildare, has been commissioned to commercially produce biomethane as of yesterday evening (January 24).

The Gas Grid Injection Facility in Cush, Co. Kildare, awaits approval from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities Water and Energy (CRU) to commence commercial flow.

The biomethane leaving Billy Costello’s Green Generation site today will be transported to Northern Ireland and injected to the grid from there.

This is the second biomethane production site to be commissioned in the Republic of Ireland; the other is located in Co. Donegal.

Currently, there is no government-funded support scheme available for renewable gas in the Republic of Ireland.

Ian Kilgallon, business development and innovation manager at Gas Networks Ireland, explained that the injection site for biomethane in Cush, Co. Kildare can’t be used until the regulator fully approves it.

“It’s a fully operational site so we are waiting on the licence approval to open it. Commercial flow of gas can take place straight away once it is approved.

“It’s the first commercial flow of biomethane from Nurney but it’s going to go to customers in the north until the injection facility is commissioned.”

Kilgallon explained that once the biogas has been purified, it is stored in a mobile storage unit. Once full, the unit is then loaded onto a truck and brought to the injection point where it makes its way into the gas grid.