The World Biogas Expo, 29th - 30th March 2023 – NNFCC has launched a new ‘Anaerobic
Digestion Deployment in the Republic of Ireland’ report, to provide an insight
into the AD market, policy and regulatory landscape in Ireland ahead of an
expected wave of growth. The report contains details about the capacity and
feedstock requirements of anaerobic digestion (AD) plants listed within NNFCC’s
new Irish AD Deployment database which collates data about Irish AD projects
from public announcement through to operation and is updated on a monthly
basis.
The database contains information on AD plants processing material from both
agricultural and waste sources and projects operating with combined heat &
power (CHP) or biomethane-to-grid (BtG) output.
The Irish AD, biogas and biomethane sectors are still in their infancy. A
slow growth rate has been observed to date, with only 30 AD plants currently in
operation in Ireland. This is a small number compared to other European
countries with well-developed AD sectors, such as the UK or Germany, where the
operational AD plants are counted by the hundreds. The slow growth is the
result of a lack of public support for AD, biogas and biomethane.
Looking ahead, the ambitious targets set by the
EU and the Irish government for biomethane are expected to drive more policy
changes in sector in the upcoming years. The Irish Biomethane Strategy is
expected in 2023, detailing concrete actions to deliver on the 5.7TWh ambition.
Furthermore, the introduction of the new RHO is expected in 2024, under which
fuel suppliers for the heat sector will be obligated to source a fraction of
their fuel from renewable sources.
There is a lot of excitement about growth in the
AD sector. NNFCC will continue to monitor the market and its growth in Ireland
to inform business and policy decisions in future years.
Lucy Hopwood, Business Development Director and Lead Consultant for
Bioenergy & Anaerobic Digestion at NNFCC says:
“After ten years reporting on the UK AD
Market, we are delighted to be launching our first AD Deployment in the
Republic of Ireland report. A secure, domestic low-carbon energy system is the
ambition of each and every nation in Europe, but the potential varies vastly
depending on the size, nature and maturity of the target countries and each
sector respectively. The Republic of Ireland is clearly in a strong position,
identified as having the highest potential for biomethane production per
capita, and with big ambitions in the latest Climate Action Plan (CAP), aiming
for the production of up to 5.7TWh of biomethane coming from 200 AD plants by
2030."
"Not only can AD and biomethane improve energy
security, reduce emissions and help to decarbonise the energy system, it can
also benefit the farming and food industries by offering additional or
alternative markets, resources and revenue streams in otherwise challenging
economic times."
"Coming late to the AD market, Ireland has the
advantage of learning from those that have moved earlier. We are looking
forward to working with everyone involved and being part of the growth and
investment required to help Ireland realise its potential and really put it on
the map as a major player in the AD and biomethane industry.”