Minister McConalogue and Minister Ryan welcome publication of the National Biomethane Strategy
- Published on: 28 May 2024
- Last updated on: 30 September 2024
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, have today published the National Biomethane Strategy. The National Biomethane Strategy is Ireland’s first major policy statement on biomethane and is an important milestone in the development of an indigenous sector.
The primary objective of the National Biomethane Strategy is to support delivery of the ambitious target of up to 5.7 Tera Watt Hour (TWh) of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030 set by the government as part of its Climate Action Plan. This target is equivalent to 10% of current usage of fossil gas, however this will rise to over 50% of our usage by the mid 2030's as we shift our economy away from gas in favour of electrification.
Commenting on the strategy, Minister McConalogue said:
“Farmers will be central to production of this renewable source of energy and thereby major players in the decarbonisation of our energy system through the development of a sustainable biomethane industry. I welcome the launch of this important strategy which was identified in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) as the first key step to delivering a 5.7 TWh target of energy production through biomethane by 2030. This aligns with the priorities in agriculture to marry food production, renewable energy and reducing emissions.”
The minister further added:
“From an Agricultural perspective, clear benefits in terms of contributing to deliver renewable energy targets and providing alternative land use options for farmers have been identified through the research and consultation undertaken in compiling this strategy. Alongside opportunities for farm income and land use diversification options for farmers the anaerobic industry also represents a pathway for farmers to reduce fertilizer usage through the increased availability of digestate which will also have positive climate change implications.”
The National Biomethane strategy sets out twenty-five key strategic actions that are key to addressing the challenges and opportunities for the industry and implementation of these actions will drive growth across the biomethane industry. An integral part of the Strategy is sustainable production and an early action for delivery will be the development of a Biomethane Sustainability Charter. The Charter will support an agri-led biomethane industry, whilst having regard to established goals for the protection and restoration of water, soil, biodiversity, and ecosystem services and protect against any unintended negative consequences.
Minister Ryan commented:
“Publication of the National Biomethane Strategy is another detailed policy step towards reaching a climate neutral economy. It allows for an additional and alternate diverse income from the energy sector into the agriculture sector, on top of the solar renewable feed in tariff launched last week. It also sets us further on course to a low-carbon society, and carbon neutrality by 2050. Development of a sustainable, indigenous biomethane sector will help reduce our dependence on non-renewable and unsustainable resources, supporting a greater diversification of our home-grown energy mix. We must learn lessons from other jurisdictions and ensure that the biomethane sector contributes to water quality restoration and enhances biodiversity through the sustainability charter.”
Ireland is uniquely positioned to develop a sustainable biomethane industry due to the nature of the agricultural sector in the country. The National Biomethane Strategy is Agri-led and farmer-centric with a focus on the supply of suitable feedstocks in addition to maximisation of the use of organic waste streams from farms and communities. It aligns with the circular bioeconomy development contributing positively to both the sectoral emissions ceiling for agriculture, as well as to the decarbonisation and diversification of Ireland’s energy mix.
Delivery will require concerted action across key government departments and agencies to ensure the necessary supports and infrastructure are in place to support an anaerobic digestion and biomethane industry of scale. A newly formed Interdepartmental Biomethane Implementation Group will oversee implementation of the Strategy, measuring its impact and monitoring target delivery. The Implementation Group will report to the Heat and Built Environment taskforce.
Given the need to swiftly stimulate the industry, the provision of Capital Grants and the Renewable Heat Obligation, alongside industry investment will put Ireland on a trajectory to meet its 5.7 TWh target by 2030.
The government has sought €40 million in capital funding under Ireland’s application for REPowerEU funding and anticipate early confirmation of this funding scheme.
Minister McConalogue confirmed today the opening of this Biomethane Capital Grant Scheme:
“In Ireland, the Biomethane Industry is nascent. I recognise that the industry needs capital support to be kick-started and I am keen to see the industry grow and as a result provide opportunities and benefits to the agriculture sector. My department is to receive funding of €40 million for a capital grant scheme for biomethane production plants subject to European Commission and Council assessment and approval. This funding will be available for biomethane plants and will encourage early adopters in the industry. I am announcing today that an ‘expressions of interest’ for this grant scheme is now open and my department have partnered with SEAI to oversee the administration of the grant to ensure efficient delivery of the scheme.”
Minister Ryan welcomed this initial round of grant support commenting:
"Biomethane production and AD is a capital intensive project, I welcome this first phase of grant support announced today by Minister McConalogue. I intend to build on this scheme from 2026 onwards and secure further support for additional biomethane plants which will further demonstrate the government’s commitment to supporting development of the industry. My department is also committed to the publication of the Renewable Heat Obligation high-level scheme later this year which will create an increased demand for renewable energy in the heat sector."
(Image: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan at the launch of The National Biomethane Strategy)
Notes
DAFM along with SEAI invite interested parties to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Biomethane Capital Grant scheme. Once the EOI form is completed by interested applicants and if it fulfils the initial criteria, applicants will then receive an application form which will be sent to them directly by SEAI. Expression of Interest form is available at the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/0zsR076C79
This Capital Grant is funded by the European Union Recovery & Resilience Facility.
Biomethane
Biogas is produced as the main product of the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) of biological feedstocks including food waste, sewage sludge and agricultural feedstocks. The AD process produces biogas from feedstocks through decomposing of organic material by micro-organisms in large oxygen-free tanks. Biogas is typically comprised of 60% methane and 40% CO2. Biogas can be upgraded to sustainable biomethane to replace fossil gas. When biogas is upgraded to methane with greater than 97% purity, it is termed biomethane. Biomethane is fully compatible with the national gas network and existing appliances, technologies, and vehicles.
Biomethane that satisfies the Renewable Energy Directive’s life cycle sustainability criteria can be classified as “a zero-carbon rated fuel”. Biomethane can therefore directly contribute to meeting Ireland’s decarbonisation targets.
Approach to developing the strategy
The Strategy has been co-developed by DAFM and DECC. Guidance was provided by a governmental Biomethane Working Group chaired by DAFM.
Stakeholder Engagement played a key part of this process, and extensive engagement was carried out with key stakeholders. Following engagement with key stakeholders and industry experts, a Draft National Biomethane Strategy was developed. The public consultation received a total of 200 submissions. These submissions were reviewed, and feedback received directly informed the final National Biomethane Strategy.
The National Biomethane Strategy addresses the key challenges and opportunities for the biomethane industry and sets out strategic policy direction for the industry.
Framework for Developing the National Biomethane Strategy
The development of the National Biomethane Strategy focused on a framework of five key pillars. All these interlinking pillars were seen as critical, to delivering a successful biomethane sector:
1. Sustainability: Ensure the development of biomethane is done in a Sustainable manner that contributes to the decarbonisation of Ireland’s energy and agriculture sectors. Enable the sector to develop so it offers a sustainable diversification option for farmers.
2. Demand for Biomethane: Develop biomethane in Ireland for hard-to-abate sectors that currently have limited or no alternative option to decarbonise.
3. Bioeconomy and Circular Economy: Ensure that the role of the bioeconomy is incorporated and the benefits of producing other biobased products and biorefining are considered.
4. Economics of Biomethane: Assess the most economical way to meet the 5.7 TWh target by 2030. This will involve assessment of optimal deployment strategies, scale of plant and grid connections.
5. Enabling Policy Requirements: To ensure timely development of a biomethane industry in Ireland, various enabling policies must be delivered, and current impediments addressed.
Strategy supports
A wide range of support mechanisms were assessed during the development of the National Biomethane Strategy. Given the need to swiftly stimulate the industry the Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) in conjunction with Capital Grants was the chosen method to support the delivery of a biomethane sector in Ireland. Through the provision of Capital Grants, the RHO and industry investment this approach will put Ireland on a trajectory to meet its 5.7 TWh target by 2030.
Support Programme for Biomethane 2024 – 2030
| Measure | Period | Aim | |
| Introduction of the Renewable Heat Obligation 2024 | Initial Grant Support Programme | 2024 – 2025 | Contribute to 1TWh target of Indigenous Biomethane |
| Further Grant Support Programme | 2026 – 2030 | Contribute to at least an additional 1.5TWh of Indigenous Biomethane |
NRRP
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan has been developed by the government so that Ireland can access funding under the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. Ireland is expected to receive €988 million in grants under the Facility.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility is the largest component of NextGenerationEU, the European Union’s response to the global pandemic. The aim is to help repair the immediate economic and social damage brought about by the pandemic and to prepare for a post-COVID Europe that is greener, more digital, more resilient and fit to face the future.