A major new anaerobic digestion (AD) project has been submitted for planning in Tipperary.

Kildare-based Nua Bioenergy is proposing to build a large-scale plant on the former Lisheen Mine site, near Thurles, Co Tipperary.

The plant will process 98,000t of feedstock annually to produce biomethane gas, which will be injected into the national gas grid as a replacement for natural gas.

It is proposed that the AD plant will require 8,000t of wholecrop silage, 30,000t of farmyard manure (including straw-horse manure and pulverised straw), 30,000t of bellygrass sludge, 15,000t of dairy sludge and dewatered manure and 15,000t of broiler manure as feedstock each year.

The plant will return digestate to farms that provide the crop-based feedstock.

The 13.5ac AD site is located close to an operational sludge AD plant, as well as a proposed large-scale AD, compost and growing media facility.

The plans include four primary and three secondary digester tanks, a set of feed hoppers, feedstock storage through three storage clamps and two storage sheds and a dedicated single-storey fertiliser processing and storage unit.

Once operational, the plant will create four to six permanent jobs.

A decision is due by early January.