EU seeks clarification on Ireland's biomethane plan
More than 20,000 anaerobic digestion plants across the EU produce biogas, but the sector’s potential in Ireland has not yet been tapped.
The EU has asked Ireland to elaborate on its climate plan measures for sustainable production of biomethane, "given Ireland’s sustainable biomethane potential and production, profile of natural gas consumption, and existing infrastructure, digestate use, and biogenic carbon applications".
More than 20,000 anaerobic digestion plants across the EU produce biogas, but the sector’s potential in Ireland has not yet been tapped. The ask comes in Brussels's assessment of Ireland's draft energy and climate plan, which includes recommendations to raise Irish climate ambitions in line with EU targets for 2030.
Ireland is also asked to propose cost-efficient additional policies and measures in the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), to bridge a 31.8 percentage points shortfall compared to the 2030 greenhouse gas target. The ESR includes agriculture, transport, buildings, and light industry. Ireland's ESR target was a 30% reduction of emissions compared to 2005 levels by 2030. However, the ESR was amended in April 2023, and Ireland must now limit ESR emissions by at least 42% by 2030.
The EU has also requested Ireland to set out a concrete pathway towards reaching the national land, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) target. An emissions ceiling for LULUCF has not yet been determined in Ireland, with scientific information still to be updated. The EU said the LULUCF carbon sink must be enhanced (the sink includes afforested land and harvested wood).
Finally, the EU also asked Ireland to explain in detail how and when the country intends to phase out fossil fuel subsidies. These subsidies, relative to GDP, are double the EU average, in Ireland. A small proportion of these subsidies reduces the cost of agricultural diesel. Agriculture did not feature in the EU's shortlist of areas for Ireland's climate plan improvement, nor in a shortlist of main positive elements.
It said Ireland's energy efficiency planning is missing several key elements such as the national contributions to 2030 energy efficiency targets, how to finance planned energy savings, and their expected impact.
The EU said fossil fuels comprise a very significant share of Ireland’s energy mix, and domestic extraction is decreasing, resulting in a high dependence on energy imports into the EU. Also highlighted was the lack of detailed measures to, for example, reduce gas demand. The plan's lack of specific measures to accelerate electricity storage was also highlighted.
The EU said the climate plan does not adequately consider climate vulnerabilities and risks which may put achievement of energy and climate mitigation objectives at risk. However, there was praise for the Irish objective of 80% of electricity generation to be renewable by 2030.
The recognition of energy poverty as a multidimensional challenge was also welcomed as were Ireland's climate plan objectives to reach 845,000 electric passenger cars; 95,000 electric vans and trucks; 1,500 electric buses; and 3,500 low-emission trucks. However, the EU concluded Ireland's draft climate plan is not yet sufficient to reduce net emissions by at least 55%, by 2030.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said the 2030 25% sectoral emission reduction is a challenging target for Irish agriculture. But reduced chemical nitrogen sales, by 14% in 2022 plus 18% in 2023, was "an excellent example of progress". It contributed to agriculture accounting for 25% of the 1.9% year-on-year reduction in total Irish emissions in 2022.
He said research would be the key to find advancements to achieve emission targets.
Asked in the Dáil by Dublin South-West People Before Profit-Solidarity TD, Paul Murphy, if Irish dairy and beef production must reduce to reach emissions targets, the minister said some livestock farmers will take up diversification into areas such as organics, forestry, tillage, and producing feedstock for anaerobic digestion. But he remained confident Ireland will continue to reduce agri-emissions without reducing output.
He said breeding programmes will bring permanent and cumulative reductions in methane from future livestock, and progress continues with feed additives to reduce livestock emissions.
