Department consults experts on renewable gas funding just one week before deadline

REPowerEU aims at ensuring continuity of energy supply in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Department of the Environment waited three weeks into a four-week submission period before consulting its own competent authority regarding a €35bn EU renewable energy fund which Ireland has failed to apply for.

Ireland is one of just two European nations which failed to apply for a key European Commission (EC) funding initiative known as REPowerEU, aimed at ensuring continuity of energy supply in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

REPowerEU was established in March 2022 with a view to funding explorations of renewable energy sources and bolstering the European Union’s energy supply chains following the invasion of Ukraine.

On March 8 of this year, the Department of the Environment  (DECC) received correspondence from the EC’s director general for energy requesting submissions above and beyond each country’s stated national energy targets regarding REPowerEU, with a deadline for response of April 8.

However, the department made no move regarding that communication before April 1, nearly four weeks later, when it requested submissions of its own from Gas Networks Ireland, the competent authority within Ireland with regard to biomethane, a form of renewable gas.

REPowerEU zeroes in on five policy pillars.

GNI was given until April 5, just two working days and three days before the REPowerEU deadline, to reply to the department.

A spokesperson for the department said that it is “considering potential proposals for funding under this mechanism with the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform”.

They added that “European legislation necessary to provide for funding” under REPowerEU will not come into force until next year.

However, gas industry experts have told the Irish Examiner that no such legislation is required for either the biomethane or liquefied natural gas strands of REPowerEU.

Biomethane production facilities

Meanwhile, Gas Networks Ireland confirmed that it had received a communication from DECC requesting information for the director general regarding the “deployment and connection” of biomethane production facilities on April 1.

“Gas Networks Ireland provided a response to these queries on Tuesday, April 5 ,” they said, adding that funding applications are a matter for DECC.

Biomethane is a natural gas alternative made from agricultural and food waste via a process known as anaerobic digestion.

Its widespread use would be expected to reduce emissions across the economy, while also contributing to the decarbonisation of the agri-food sector.

Commenting on the amount of time taken to consult GNI regarding REPowerEU last March, and the fact no application was made for the biomethane funding itself, energy consultant and former substitute MEP for Fianna Fáil Kieran Hartley said Ireland had “disadvantaged itself in terms of its own natural indigenous asset, which is grass growing”.

“Not applying reduces Ireland’s ability to cut carbon emissions and to achieve our net-zero 2030 climate targets,” he said, adding that the failure to apply for the funding is “an unforgivable let down to all of Ireland, especially its rural communities”.

REPowerEU is expected to inject funding into the clean energy transition of some €210bn by the year 2027.

The biomethane section of REPowerEU has a budget of €35bn. At present biomethane is being invested in heavily across the developed world, with France for example currently spending nearly €2m per day in rolling out the technology.

This story was corrected on 26.10.22 to correct an inaccuracy