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An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it is too early to say if Ireland will meet its target of 200 operational anaerobic digestion (AD) plants by 2030.
Speaking at the opening of the Bia Innovator campus at Teagasc Athenry this Friday, an Taoiseach said he hoped the AD target set out by the Government would be met by the end of the decade.
“I hope we will meet the target. I think it is too early to say whether we can or not, but it’s a real target,” he said.
Objections
Responding to a question from the Irish Farmers Journal asking if he thinks these plants will be held up by planning objections, an Taoiseach said smaller AD plants will result in fewer objections.
“I think there will be planning objections, that’s often the case with any form of development.
“I think the ones that will work best, though, are smaller ones where communities and farmers come together and see the benefit from it.
“I think those on an industrial scale will probably result in more objections,” he said.
Denmark
An Taoiseach added that he experienced Denmark’s AD model and he would like to see similar plants delivering income for both Irish farmers and energy production.
“I was in Denmark a year or two ago, I saw how farming works there. I saw very much how AD is a part of their mix in terms of income for farmers, but also energy production and I’d like to see some of them here,” he said.
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