Northern Ireland will need 70 new farm-based anaerobic digestion (AD) plants by 2030 to help meet its climate goals.

The target is contained in a new KPMG report which was presented at a recent AD NI forum in Belfast and would see 10% (1.4tTWh) of Northern Ireland’s gas demands met by indigenous biomethane.

Inject gas

Currently, 76 farm AD plants are in operation in NI, generating electricity for the national grid. However, the 70 new plants would instead inject gas into the national gas grid for use in heating and transport.

Each plant would require around 1,000ac of grass or wholecrop along with 10,000 to 15,000 tonnes of slurry. The plants will be located within 10km of the gas grid.