First biomethane gas facility is connected to the national grid

Bia Energy converts food waste into gas used to power homes and businesses

Bia Energy CEO Brendan Traynor, Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD, GNI Karen Doyle. Picture by Shane O'Neill, Coalesce.

A biomethane plant has been connected to Ireland's national gas network for the first time.

Bia Energy, which collects food waste from the retail and hospitality sector, has begun feeding biomethane gas into the grid from its €90m gas facility in Huntstown, Co. Dublin.

The renewable biomethane gas is fully compatible with the existing national gas network and all existing appliances, technologies and vehicles that currently use gas. 

Along with Bia Energy, the grid operator, Gas Networks Ireland, has connection agreements with six other biomethane producers. Bia Energy is one of seven biomethane companies that recently received funding under the Government’s National Biomethane Strategy Capital Grant Scheme. It received almost €3.9m from the scheme to assist with its capital costs.

Bia Energy is part of the Sretaw group, an investment vehicle founded by Irish businessman Eamon Waters. The Huntstown facility takes food waste, which is then processed and sent to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) for conversion into organic fertiliser and renewable natural gas.

To facilitate the direct connection to the national gas network, Gas Networks Ireland built an extension from the existing gas network to the new facility.

Once operating at full capacity, the Huntstown plant is expected to deliver up to 120 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of biomethane annually into the gas network. Bia Energy will also shortly expand its biomethane production portfolio to include a facility in Kildare.

The State has a target of having 5.7 terawatt hours (TWh) of biomethane production by 2030, equivalent to about 10% of the country’s current gas demand.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland, Martin Heydon, said the connection demonstrates how agricultural and organic waste can be converted into a valuable renewable energy source, reducing emissions and enhancing energy security.

“The project also delivers benefits for agriculture through the production of digestate, which can be used as an alternative to chemical fertilisers, supporting more sustainable farming practices and a circular economy," he said.

"Clean renewable biomethane gas can provide an immediate and practical decarbonisation solution for energy users, enabling businesses to reduce their emissions while continuing to utilise their existing gas infrastructure and equipment.” Bia Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Traynor said.