Planning permission sought for major biogas renewable energy project in North Tipperary
Facility would process farm waste and feed biomethane into local gas network
Tipperary County Council is considering a large renewable energy project near Birdhill. Annaholty Green Energy Limited has applied for a 10-year permission to build two primary anaerobic digesters, each 18.5 metres high, at Thornhill and Annaholty.
Submitted on October 2, the plans are at pre-validation stage and outline a complex facility, including a secondary digester and digestate storage tanks, manure reception tanks, a desulphurisation unit, silage clamps, CHP units, biomethane upgrade and carbon dioxide capture facilities, and offices, laboratories, and welfare spaces.
Ancillary works involve an LPG compound, retention ponds, tree removal, and a new site entrance with security gates.
Malone O’Regan consultants note that Greensource Limited, parent of Annaholty Green Energy, “have, for over 20 years, developed a fleet of renewable energy projects in both wind and renewable gas, including the first commercial-scale anaerobic digestion plant in Ireland, in 2010, located in Shanagolden, Co Limerick.”
“The proposed development will support sustainable energy production in light of the climate emergency through renewable gas production, bio-fertiliser production and carbon dioxide capture,” the report states. The facility would process around 50,000 tonnes of agricultural feedstock annually, producing biomethane for injection into the Gas Networks Ireland network.
“Biomethane has been successfully flowing into the Irish gas network since 2019… This national source of energy also reduces Ireland’s reliance on imported energy and allows the Irish agricultural sector to contribute further to delivering carbon emissions reductions,” the consultants add.
The council aims to decide by November 26, with public submissions due by November 5.