Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1297. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to clarify if supports exist for farmers who wish to purchase and install an anaerobic digester; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38236/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Anaerobic Digestion industry in Ireland has significant potential for development to benefit both the agriculture and energy sectors.

While energy policy formation, including renewable energy, is the direct responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), my Department continues to engage with DECC on all energy related matters from an agricultural perspective, including supports for the development of an Anaerobic Digestion industry.

The Micro-generation Support Scheme is one such DECC support for micro-digestors, and one of the key technologies included in this scheme is micro-combined heat and power. Micro-generation is the general term used to refer to the generation of electricity from renewable technologies, including solar photovoltaic (PV), micro-wind, micro-hydro and micro-renewable combined heat and power (CHP). A payment, or Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), is available to all renewable generators that export to the grid, regardless of the energy provider with whom they have a supply contract.

My Department is engaging with DECC concerning the formation of a National Biomethane Strategy. The formation of the strategy will include careful and extensive research on scaling up the Anaerobic Digestion industry. This will assist in meeting the targets set out in the Programme for Government on sectoral emissions ceilings and the commitment to delivering up to 5.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030 under Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.