Construction begins on €32m biomethane facility in North Cork

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has turned the sod on a €32m Gas Networks Ireland biomethane central grid injection facility in North Cork that will play a large role to help reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions.

Ground was broken marking the start of construction work on for the new central grid injection facility in Mitchelstown, representing a transformative step in Ireland’s transition towards renewable energy.

The Mitchelstown central grid injection will have the capacity to inject up to 700GWh of renewable biomethane gas annually, contributing approximately 12% of the Government’s 2030 biomethane target.

The facility will also reduce national CO emissions by an estimated 130,000 tonnes per year, positioning itself as a cornerstone of Ireland’s sustainable energy infrastructure.

In addition, biomethane offers the Irish agriculture sector and farming families the opportunity to diversify and add a new revenue stream, as it is produced through the breakdown of organic material or feedstock.

At the sod turning ceremony, Mr Martin said: “This project is a significant development in Ireland’s energy infrastructure, enabling the drive towards decarbonisation. This facility also represents a pivotal opportunity for our agricultural industry. By enabling farmers to diversify into biomethane production, we are opening up new revenue streams that will benefit rural communities and contribute to our broader sustainability goals.

“The Mitchelstown [central grid injection] facility will help us leverage Ireland’s agricultural potential to produce renewable energy, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and drive the transition towards a greener, more resilient economy.”

This development follows a successful market engagement exercise led by Gas Networks Ireland earlier this year, where a request for expressions of interest to supply biomethane to the new central grid injection facility in Mitchelstown drew interest from more than 20 prospective biomethane producers.

“The substantial response to our recent [expressions of interest]demonstrates the growing momentum behind Ireland’s biomethane industry,” said Cathal Marley, CEO of Gas Networks Ireland. “The 1,862GWh of potential production from just 22 interested producers showcases the significant capacity of this sector to meet, and possibly exceed, our renewable biomethane gas targets.

“The Mitchelstown [central grid injection] facility is a key part of this vision, allowing for the injection of renewable gas into the national system and furthering our goal of a net zero carbon gas network by 2045.

“As Ireland pushes forward in its energy transition, projects like this in Mitchelstown will play a critical role in delivering clean, renewable energy across the country.”

Commissioning of the first phase of the facility project in Mitchelstown is expected in late 2025.