Ireland expands biomethane production from food waste

Ireland has connected College Group’s €30 mln biomethane facility in County Meath to the national gas network. It is the second major biomethane producer to secure a direct connection to the country’s gas system within the past month.

The facility has an annual production capacity of up to 75 GWh of biomethane. It will use anaerobic digestion to process primarily commercial food waste and organic materials from College Group’s wider operations. The project received €2.4 mln in government capital grant support.

Part of the biomethane will be injected into the national gas grid, while some will be used as BioCNG for heavy goods vehicles. College Group has already signed an offtake agreement with Flogas and plans to use the renewable fuel for its own operations and transport fleet.

Gas Networks Ireland currently has connection agreements with seven biomethane producers. Their combined projected output represents almost 13% of Ireland’s 2030 target of 5.7 TWh of biomethane production per year.

In addition to biomethane, the facility will produce digestate, a nutrient-rich organic fertiliser that can partially replace mineral fertilisers and recycle nutrients back into agricultural production. The facility is part of College Group’s circular economy park, which the company estimates can reduce CO₂ emissions by almost 200 thsd tons per year.

Tags: Ireland, biomethane