Gas Networks Ireland has broken ground to mark the commencement of construction for a €32m Central Grid Injection (CGI) facility in Mitchelstown.
CGI facilities provide injection points for biomethane production sites that may be located remotely from the existing gas network.
The network operator describes the initiative as a transformative step in Ireland's transition towards renewable energy, enabling the injection of biomethane into the national gas network.
Gas Networks Ireland says the Cork facility will have the capacity to inject up to 700 GWh of renewable biomethane gas annually, contributing approximately 12% of the Government’s 2030 biomethane target.
It says the facility will also reduce national CO₂ emissions by an estimated 130,000 tonnes per year, positioning itself as a cornerstone of Ireland’s sustainable energy infrastructure.
In addition, biomethane offers the Irish agriculture sector and farming families the opportunity to diversify and add a new revenue stream, as it is produced through the breakdown of organic material, namely feedstock.
The development follows a market engagement exercise led by Gas Networks Ireland earlier this year, where a request for Expressions of Interest to supply biomethane to the new facility drew interest from 22 prospective biomethane producers.
Gas Networks Ireland’s CEO Cathal Marley said the substantial response to the recent expressions of interest "demonstrates the growing momentum behind Ireland’s biomethane industry".
"The 1,862 GWh of potential production from just 22 interested producers showcases the significant capacity of this sector to meet, and possibly exceed, our renewable biomethane gas targets," Mr Marley said.
"The Mitchelstown CGI facility is a key part of this vision, allowing for the injection of renewable gas into the national system and furthering our goal of a net zero carbon gas network by 2045," he added.
The delivery of the CGI facility is being made possible through the collaboration of two key partners, Fingleton White in terms of design and Murphy International as the construction contractor.
Commissioning of the first phase is expected towards the end of 2025.
The facility is part of the broader Green Renewable Agricultural Zero Emissions (GRAZE) project, which is designed to showcase large scale agricultural biomethane clusters that can be replicated across the country.
It is supported by €8.4 million in funding from the Climate Action Fund.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin attended the sod turning ceremony.
He said the project is "a significant development in Ireland’s energy infrastructure, enabling the drive towards decarbonisation, supporting both the government’s commitment to achieving its biomethane production targets by 2030 and the country’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050".
"This facility also represents a pivotal opportunity for our agricultural industry," he added.
