Policy must consider environmental impact of AD based on grass silage

Despite Ireland having "lagged behind" in the area of anaerobic digestion, there are "great lessons" to be learned from how it has been applied in Europe.

Despite Ireland having "lagged behind" in the area of anaerobic digestion, "there are great lessons to be learned from how it has been applied in Europe".

With a “consensus” that biogas production itself may result in greenhouse gas emissions, experts warn there is a need for the environmental risk to be assessed in determining the overall policy approach.

During a recent Oireachtas joint committee on environment and climate action session, researcher Ciara Beausang said that when the environmental sustainability of biogas is discussed, it is usually focused on greenhouse gas mitigation. Ms Beausang said that one of the most important factors to consider is the raw material from which biogas will be produced.