Gas Networks Ireland is opening its new €32m Central Grid Injection (CGI) facility in Mitchelstown in Co Cork today, which the company says marks a significant milestone in the development of the country’s indigenous biomethane industry.
The Cork-based CGI plant has the capacity to receive renewable gas produced from farm and food waste and is the first of its kind in both Ireland and Europe.
It creates a new route for biomethane producers to supply renewable gas into Ireland’s national gas network but are located too far away to connect directly by pipeline.
Biomethane produced at independent anaerobic digestion facilities can be transported by trailer to Mitchelstown, where it can be prepared to the required standards and injected into the national gas network.
Once injected, the renewable gas can travel to customers through the existing gas pipeline network.
When operating at full capacity, Gas Networks Ireland said the Mitchelstown acility has the potential to inject up to 700 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of biomethane annually.
This is equivalent to about 12% of the Government’s 2030 target of 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane production. The facility could also deliver about 130,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions savings each year.
Gas Networks Ireland’s chief executive David Kelly said there is a growing appetite from prospective biomethane producers to develop homemade renewable gas and to bring it onto the national network.
“Having recently connected two anaerobic digestion plants in Dublin and Meath directly to our gas network, Mitchelstown now gives producers who are not close enough to a pipeline a route into the national network, helping to unlock the potential of Ireland’s biomethane industry,” Mr Kelly said.
“In addition to this biomethane facility and with works already underway on the Southern Area capacity upgrades, our investment in the Munster region will be north of €80m, as we look to bolster and enhance our security of supply,” he added.
The Irish biomethane sector is currently undergoing significant expansion and investment.
Gas Networks Ireland has signed agreements to connect seven major new biomethane producers to its network, including the €35m College Group biomethane plant in Co Meath and Bia Energy’s €90m biomethane gas facility in Dublin.
