Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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399. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has examined the study published by the EU Commission in March 2017, "Optimal Use of Biogas from Waste Stream. An Assessment of the Potential of Biogas from Digestion in the EU beyond 2020", which highlights that Ireland has the highest potential for biogas production per capita within the EU by 2030 and a potential of 13 TWh/annum forecast; and if he examined rolling out a scheme to increase biogas production from farm waste via co-operatives and the potential costs incurred. [20102/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The agriculture and forest sector has a critical role to play in contributing to our national climate change ambitions, and bioenergy represents a key component of that contribution.

I have noted with interest the study to which the Deputy is referring and this study has been examined by the relevant division in my Department. While the EU study illustrates that small Member States have a large potential to increase their domestic biogas production (in terms of production per inhabitant), these figures are based on accelerated growth scenarios with the upper limits of feedstock potential used.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in their recent report on “The Assessment of Cost and Benefits of Biogas and Biomethane in Ireland” also highlight that the potential of biogas production could be 35PJ by 2050. This is based on maximum use of grass silage and other resources for anaerobic digestion (AD), which could prove very expensive to mobilise.

I also recognise that there is an opportunity to encourage the utilisation of agricultural waste as an alternative source of energy. I have noted that while it is possible to produce and utilise methane through AD of stored manure (which accounts for only 10% of agricultural methane), academic and industry research suggests that there is the potential for a significant role in the heat and transport sectors for biogas produced by anaerobic digestion, analysis to date would suggest that costs are a significant factor.

Notwithstanding, my Department and the Government recognise that indigenous renewable energy plays a vital role in our domestic fuel mix and will become even more important in the context of reducing our reliance on imported fuels and in meeting our challenging renewable energy targets. My Department is committed to working closely with the Department for Communications, Climate Action and Environment which is the lead Department in this area, to ensure that the supply of domestic biomass and residues available in the forest and agriculture sectors are mobilised to support energy generation from a range of bioenergy technologies.

Given renewed interest in this technology and an interest from industry in mobilising biomethane, my Department is also collaborating closely with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment to consider the potential for anaerobic digestion to contribute to Ireland's significant renewable energy and Green House Gas targets, and promote the development of Ireland's bioeconomy.