Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

325 Chapter 12: Environment and Energy A National Biomethane Strategy was published in June 2024 setting out a vision for an agri-led biomethane industry that promotes the use of the gas in Ireland’s future energy system. According to the strategy, the increase in biomethane production needed to achieve the CAP24 targets will be facilitated by increasing the number of anaerobic digestion plants in Ireland to 200 by 2030. In Ireland there are currently two operational biomethane facilities that can inject methane into the national grid and 43 facilities that produce biogas. These new anaerobic digestion plants will require authorisation from the EPA when using waste feedstocks. To be classified as a zero-carbon-rated fuel, biomethane must satisfy the Renewable Energy Directive’s life cycle sustainability criteria. A national biomethane charter is planned, which will include all of the issues covered by the Renewable Energy Directive, as well as land use, water quality, biodiversity, fertiliser use and carbon sequestration to the extent that they are not addressed under the Renewable Energy Directive. It is estimated that, to meet the biomethane production targets, over 20% of all winter cattle slurry produced in Ireland would be required to facilitate a balanced feedstock for the anaerobic digestion plants. The National Biomethane Strategy assumes an equal mix of grass foliage and slurry in the feedstock and estimates that, at national level, a total land area of 120,000 hectares would be needed to produce the silage to feed the anaerobic digester biomethane plants required to reach the 5.7 TWh target. The strategy will seek to avoid potential competition with other critical uses of land, including food production and biodiversity protection, and ensure that the industry contributes to nature and water quality recovery. The strategy highlights that anaerobic digestate can be used to replace chemical fertilisers, reducing the need for these in agriculture. Hydrogen. The National Hydrogen Strategy was published by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in 2023. The strategy sets out the strategic vision for the role that hydrogen will play in Ireland’s energy system and the short-term actions that need to be delivered to enable the development of the hydrogen sector in Ireland. The rationale for the strategy is to develop a solution for hard-to-decarbonise sectors with an indigenous zero-carbon renewable fuel that enhances our energy security while also presenting some potential export opportunities. The strategy envisages hydrogen supporting dispatchable flexible electricity as a long-duration store of renewable energy in decarbonising industrial processes and as a transport fuel in sectors such as heavy goods transport, maritime transport and aviation. Prior to 2030, it is envisaged that hydrogen will be produced from grid- connected electrolysis from surplus renewables. A 2 GW target for the production of renewable hydrogen from offshore wind has been set for 2030.