Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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181. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress that his Department has made to date in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in the creation of a national biomethane development strategy plan through the new built environment and heat delivery taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61214/22]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the progress his Department has made to date in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on the development of the anaerobic digestion sector in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61215/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together.

The Government has, as part of its decision on the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings in July 2022, committed to deliver up to 5.7 Twh of indigenously produced biomethane which represents ca. 10% of natural gas supply. This increased ambition from Climate Action Plan 21 is in recognition of the positive contribution that biomethane (renewable gas) can provide towards Ireland meeting its national renewable heat targets and the sectoral emission ceiling for agriculture coupled with creating a land diversification opportunity for farmers.

While the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) are the energy policy lead, my Department continues to engage proactively with DECC officials on Anaerobic Digestion and the production of biomethane in developing a coherent policy position and an appropriate support framework, as well as other energy-related areas where agriculture can provide a positive contribution to the decarbonisation of the energy system.

The development of an Anaerobic Digestion industry is at a nascent stage of development in Ireland but there is significant potential. It is clear from experience in other jurisdictions where AD is well established that there is a need for both capital and operational support to kick start an industry here in Ireland to realise the potential as set out above. In doing so requires an all-of-government approach and my department with DECC have committed to delivering a National Biomethane Strategy to identify how best to mobilise the 5.7 Twh. A project working group will be established shortly under the auspices of the Heat and Built Environment Task Force, which is expected to meet in the coming weeks.

Minister Ryan recently announced the introduction of an obligation on the heat sector to include renewable heat by 2024. The Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) will be pivotal in delivering on this ambition, whilst further incentivising suppliers of all fuels in the heat sector to ensure that a certain proportion of the energy supplied is renewable. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications will now carry out a scoping exercise to develop options for the proposed structure of the scheme. This process will include examination of proposed obligation rates, scalability, and costs to the consumer. It is intended that a technical consultation will then be undertaken in Q1 2023, to directly inform the final design of the scheme.