Gas Networks Ireland has agreed to connect a new €80m biomethane facility in Cork to the national gas network, strengthening Ireland’s renewable gas infrastructure and waste-to-energy capacity. For the business energy sector, the development reflects increasing investment in low-carbon fuels and circular economy systems aimed at reducing reliance on fossil energy sources.

SiliconRepublic reported that the agreement involves a new plant in Little Island operated by Stream BioEnergy, which is expected to become operational in 2027. The facility will process approximately 90,000 tonnes of domestic and commercial food and garden waste annually using anaerobic digestion technology.

Once completed, the project is expected to generate 80GWh of renewable biomethane each year, enough to meet the annual heating demand of around 6,000 homes. The plant is expected to become Ireland’s largest biomethane facility using mixed food and garden waste and is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

The project represents the seventh biomethane production plant contracted to connect to Ireland’s gas network in the past three years, with additional agreements reportedly at advanced stages of development. The initiative aligns with broader national efforts to expand renewable energy sources while improving domestic energy resilience.

Karen Doyle, head of business development at Gas Networks Ireland, said: “This agreement with Stream BioEnergy marks another important milestone in the development of Ireland’s renewable gas sector.”

She added: “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.”

Morgan Burke, chief operating officer of Stream BioEnergy, said the project would support sustainable organic waste management while contributing to national decarbonisation and energy security objectives.

Discover the full details on Cork’s new biomethane energy project.