Teagasc publishes major study on agricultural feedstocks for Ireland’s biomethane sector

Teagasc has released a substantial new research report examining the role of farm-based feedstocks in supporting the development of Ireland’s emerging biomethane industry.
The study, funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and Gas Networks Ireland under the SEAI National Energy RD&D Programme (grant 19/RDD/493), forms part of the FLEET Project, which assesses the economic, environmental and logistical implications of using grass silage and livestock slurry in anaerobic digestion (AD) at national scale.
Researchers found that supplying grass silage to AD plants can be a financially attractive option for some farms, although profitability varies widely and depends largely on the price paid for the feedstock.
A national farmer survey conducted as part of the project indicated strong supply potential, with respondents expressing willingness to provide 175,000 hectares of silage - significantly above the estimated 110,000–130,000 hectares required to meet Ireland’s 2030 biomethane production target of 5.7 TWh.
The report outlines substantial environmental gains linked to expanded AD use.
Grass-based AD systems could reduce participating farms’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by between 50% and 98% per hectare, largely because of reduced livestock numbers.
Slurry-based systems were associated with emissions cuts of up to 11% per hectare.
The study also includes a nationwide spatial transport assessment, which suggests that, under typical conditions, most feedstock could be sourced within 10 km of proposed AD plant locations.
In more constrained scenarios, the distance could rise to 15 km or beyond, increasing transport costs and influencing emissions outcomes.
At a national level, the report estimates that meeting the 2030 biomethane target using grass and slurry could boost agricultural sector income by €49–€53 million - an increase of around 1.2% to 1.3% - while reducing overall agricultural GHG emissions by 2.3% compared with a scenario in which no such feedstock supply is developed.
Following publication of the final FLEET report, Teagasc and project partners plan to carry out further research on additional feedstocks, new business models and updated economic and environmental scenarios as market and policy conditions continue to evolve.