Eglinton facility to inject renewable gas into the Northern Ireland grid

Kinecx Energy has announced the signing of its first biomethane connection agreement with Greenan Generation Ltd, marking a major milestone in the company’s journey toward a more sustainable energy future.

The agreement will enable biomethane produced by Greenan’s anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Eglinton to be directly injected into Kinecx Energy’s gas network.

Planning permission is now being sought for the proposed expansion and reconfiguration of an existing operational 500kW AD plant at the Carmoney Road site.

Once operational, the facility is expected to displace approximately c.8% of the natural gas currently used in the northwest region of the network, with renewable, locally produced, biomethane gas.

Biomethane can be used seamlessly by homes and businesses already connected to the gas grid, given its chemical similarity to natural gas – with the crucial difference being its renewable credentials.

“This is a pivotal moment for our business and our customers,” said Niall Martindale, CEO of Kinecx Energy.

“Biomethane offers a practical, scalable route to decarbonising our network and the potential for biomethane to displace natural gas in Northern Ireland is enormous.

“We’re delighted to be working with Greenan Generation Ltd to realise the first biomethane injection facility on our network. This is a significant step towards our ambitions for a lower-carbon future which supports a strong, circular economy within the communities we serve.”

There is a growing momentum across Northern Ireland to embrace lower-carbon and renewable energy sources. The Eglinton facility will produce biomethane from locally sourced organic material.

Chris Kerr, CEO of EAG Bioenergy, said: “EAG Bioenergy has owned Greenan Generation now for nearly 5 years and we see this expansion as a critical step in securing the longer-term viability of the site beyond ROC’s.

“Delivering subsidy-free biomethane into the Northern Ireland gas network to multiple industrial users will make Northern Ireland business more competitive as the pressure mounts to decarbonise on a national level.

“In the absence of any current incentive regime, EAG is hugely excited to collaborate with Kinecx Energy on this innovative project. Hopefully this will be the start of a roll out of similar projects, and a demonstration to other site owners that with the appropriate approach and investment, decarbonising the gas grid in Northern Ireland can be delivered at scale over the next few years,” he added.

Biomethane will be central to delivering Northern Ireland’s Energy Strategy and the government’s legally binding net-zero target. For Kinecx Energy, the agreement with Greenan Generation Ltd marks the beginning of a new chapter for the network, which stretches from Derry-Londonderry in the northwest to Newry in the southeast and reinforces the company’s commitment to a lower-carbon future.