David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the research carried out by and supports available from his Department to encourage harvesting combustible gases such as methane of fuel from slurry and other forms of biomass; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3336/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The sustainable development of indigenous bioenergy resources is critical to meeting EU and national targets for renewable heat, electricity and transport. Anaerobic digestion technology offers the possibility of generating renewable electricity and heat from a variety of waste materials. It will also contribute to the Government's policy objectives in a number of related fields, not least waste management, rural development and pollution control in groundwater.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, through its Research Stimulus Fund, has supported a significant amount of research in bioenergy including anaerobic digestion (AD) projects. My Department is also funding a number of projects under the Charles Parsons Awards specifically addressing biogas and biowaste potential. These include work by the Bioresources Research Centre (BRC) in University College Dublin into small scale gasification and the optimisation of AD processes in biowastes. The University of Limerick is also carrying out a range of bioenergy research under the Charles Parsons Awards including the thermochemical conversion by biowaste.

Science Foundation Ireland has taken over the administration of the Charles Parsons Awards in recent months. The Renewable Energy Information Office (REIO) of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has been actively advising on the potential opportunities associated with anaerobic digestion technology.

There is growing interest in the economic potential of the technology given not least the large potential supply market in the agricultural and industrial sectors.

Supports are also available for the development of Anaerobic Digestion plants. The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Deployment Programme, administered by SEI, was opened for Biomass and Anaerobic Digestion CHP applications in January 2008.

The Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT) for biomass and anaerobic digestion CHP of 12 cent per kilowatt hour, will support the development of the sector. Six applications have been received to date. Under the auspices of the Renewable Energy Development Group, the Bioenergy Working Group, which is chaired by my Department and includes industry stakeholders, is currently finalising a Bioenergy Road Map to 2020 to underpin the development of bioenergy, including biomass and AD over the next decade. The Working Group is scheduled to submit a report to me by March next.

A number of AD plants are now under construction, some of which will primarily use animal waste and others, which will use biodegradable municipal and household waste. There are at least nine additional AD plants currently seeking planning permission. This level of potential investment underlines the growing interest in potential of anaerobic digestion technology.