Green energy firm plans to build Ireland’s biggest biomethane plant in Powerstown
Photo of a biomethane plant at Teagasc Grange in Co Meath
GREENGATE Biogas has announced plans to build the country’s largest biomethane plant in Powerstown, Co Carlow, processing 700,000 tonnes of cattle and pig slurry, farmyard straw manure and poultry manure annually. This is the Irish company’s first biomethane plant, which will process agricultural residues into biomethane, biogenic CO2 and fertiliser.
Established in 2024, Greengate Biogas highlights the contribution the Co Carlow plant will make to Ireland’s green energy transition, improving energy security and reducing reliance on imported natural gas.
As part of Greengate Biogas’s commitment to engage with the local community, interested parties are invited to attend a community consultation event this Thursday, 10 April, from 8am to 8pm in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel.
The Greengate Biogas team will be available during the community consultation event to share information and answer questions about the proposed biomethane plant.
“The proposed biomethane plant in Powerstown represents a significant investment in Co Carlow’s local energy infrastructure and will generate long-term skilled jobs in the region,” said Andrew Bernard, CEO, Greengate Biogas.
“By processing agricultural residues to produce biomethane and fertiliser, the plant will create a circular economy, helping farmers to better manage their manure and contribute to Ireland’s energy security by reducing reliance on imported natural gas.”
The proposed plant will process up to 700,000 tonnes of agricultural residues to produce approximately 250 GWh of biomethane and to capture 30,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 a year. The biomethane will be injected into the local gas network, providing sustainable energy equivalent to the heat demand of about 22,700 households. Options are being explored for storing the captured biogenic CO2, or using it for industrial purposes.
Greengate Biogas says the plant will also support local farmers to improve their manure management and create a circular economy by returning the degassed agricultural residues to farmland, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future for Irish agriculture.
The company has indicated that the plant will create long-term local employment and over 100 jobs during construction.
Greengate Biogas has indicated that the plant’s design is based on best available technologies with anticipated planning application submission in the third quarter of 2025.
The proposed biomethane plant in Powerstown is the first of several projects planned by Greengate Biogas for Ireland.
