October 8, 2023. Ireland has the potential for a biomethane industry, which would replace more than a quarter of natural gas on the network, create significant new agri- income streams and reduce Ireland’s total emissions by almost 4 million tonnes per year – 6.5% of Ireland’s total emissions.
These are the main findings from the Biomethane Energy Report, which will be launched by Gas Networks Ireland, the operator of Ireland’s state-owned gas network, at the Irish Renewable Gas Conference in Dublin.
The report is based on findings from responses to a market testing Request for Information (RFI) issued by Gas Networks Ireland to current and future biomethane producers in October 2022. The report identifies 176 projects throughout Ireland that have the overall potential to produce 14.8 terawatt-hours (TWh) of biomethane per annum, amounting to 26% of Ireland’s current gas demand. The top five counties in terms of prospective biomethane production volumes were Cavan, Kildare, Limerick, Cork and Monaghan.
Ireland’s biomethane potential as outlined in this report, both in terms of potential project numbers (176) and in terms of volume of biomethane production (14.8 TWh) demonstrate how achievable the Government’s target to produce up to 5.7 TWh of biomethane by 2030 is. Gas Networks Ireland is confident that, with the right structures and policies put in place, the Government’s target is not only an achievable ambition, but potentially even a conservative one.
Gas Networks Ireland’s Chief Executive Officer Cathal Marley said: “The findings published in our report send out a strong signal that there is both interest in and demand for, biomethane production in Ireland. The appetite is there to produce enough biomethane to replace 26% of the natural gas currently consumed in Ireland. This is more than two and a half times greater than the State’s current biomethane 2030 CAP Target (5.7 TWh), and it is also more energy than will be procured from Ireland’s first offshore wind auction, ORESS-1, which took place earlier this year.”
