Gas Networks Ireland has signed an agreement with Stream BioEnergy to connect a new €80 million biomethane facility in Little Island, Co. Cork, to the national gas network.
Currently under construction, the new facility in Little Island is expected to become operational in 2027 and will process approximately 90,000 tonnes of domestic and commercial food and garden waste annually. Using anaerobic digestion technology, the plant will produce 80 GWh of renewable biomethane each year – enough renewable gas to meet the annual heating demand of approximately 6,000 homes.
The project will be Ireland’s largest biomethane plant using mixed food and garden waste and represents a significant step forward in the country’s transition to renewable energy and circular waste management.
By injecting renewable biomethane directly into the national gas network, the facility will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and artificial fertilisers while supporting Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions. The project is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to removing around 17,000 cars from Irish roads.
The announcement was made at the All-Island Bioeconomy Summit at the Johnstown Estate, Co. Meath earlier this week. Speaking on the news, Gas Networks Ireland’s Head of Business Development Karen Doyle said that it marked ‘another important milestone in the development of Ireland’s renewable gas sector’.
“Biomethane has a vital role to play in supporting Ireland’s transition to a lower-carbon energy system while also delivering sustainable solutions for organic waste management. Connecting facilities such as this to the national gas network demonstrates how existing infrastructure can support Ireland’s climate action targets, energy security and circular economy ambitions,” she said.
The agreement underlines Gas Networks Ireland’s ongoing commitment to working with Ireland’s emerging biomethane producers to deliver cleaner, more secure and more sustainable energy for the country. Stream Bioenergy’s Little Island facility is the seventh biomethane production plant to be contracted to connect to the national gas network in the last three years with further contracts currently at an advanced stage of discussion.
