Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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187. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the roll-out of biomethane injection points by Gas Networks Ireland; if he will provide an outline of the planned injection point locations; the capacity of those injection points; the climate risks that have been identified with the sources of feed for anaerobic digestors; and the risks that have been identified with the target of 5.7 TWh of biomethane production by 2030. [61968/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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GNI opened Ireland’s first purpose-built renewable gas injection facility Cush, Co. Kildare. Once flowing at maximum capacity, the Cush facility will have the capability to supply renewable gas to the equivalent of 11,000 homes. GNI is expected to begin construction of a second large-scale renewable gas injection facility in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork. With planning approved and technical design underway and, when operating at full capacity, this facility will have the potential to inject enough renewable gas into the gas network to heat the equivalent of up to 64,000 homes. GNI has also developed a Green Gas Certification (GGC) scheme for Ireland in partnership with other Irish and European agencies to provide a reliable method of tracing and verifying renewable gas origin and support the growth of a biomethane market in Ireland.

As part of its decision on the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings, Government agreed to the introduction of an obligation on the heat sector to include renewable heat by 2024, and the production of up to 5.7Twh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030.

The National Heat Study identified biomethane as a competitive, cost-efficient path to achieving our climate ambitions, and direct replacement for natural gas. This level of ambition will require a variety of agriculture-based feedstocks, and the production of these feedstocks to support emissions reductions will be required to meet strict sustainability criteria. As we look to change the way we source our energy, sustainability must remain a key consideration to ensure we avoid negatively impacting on land use and food security.

An all-of-government approach is being taken to reach the 5.7Twh target, and my Department, together with Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, is developing a National Biomethane Strategy. A project working group to develop the National Biomethane Strategy will be established shortly under the auspices of the Heat and Built Environment Task Force. This project working group will carry out extensive analysis, paying particular focus on production in a sustainable manner.