DAERA Minister Andrew Muir MLA to open ADBA Northern Ireland conference on anaerobic digestion and biogas

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir MLA to open ADBA Northern Ireland conference on anaerobic digestion and biogas

Organised by the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) at the ICC Belfast on 4 September, the conference will focus on how to realise  NI’s biomethane strategy and biomethane grid injection, as well as nature-friendly farming and nutrient management.

Andrew Muir MLA, minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs at the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Northern Ireland Executive, will provide the keynote address at the ADBA Northern Ireland Conference 2024, in Belfast next month.

Organised by the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) and hosted by its Chair and former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne, the conference will focus on the Northern Ireland National Assembly’s biomethane strategy and will consider the policy and finance mechanisms that can scale up the anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas industry, and cross-border partnerships to develop a green gas network.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Debbie Caldwell, Climate Commissioner, Belfast City Council
• Russell Smyth, Partner, KPMG
• John McLenaghan, Deputy President, Ulster Farmers Union
• Martin Doherty, Centre Manager, Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE)
• Dr Gary Lyons, Senior Scientific Officer, Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (ADBI)
• Roisin McLaughlin, Head of Energy Futures, Utility Regulator
• Padraigh Fleming, Biomethane Programme Manager, Gas Networks Ireland

Key sessions will include insights from the first biomethane injection into the gas grid at Granville Eco Park (1), a look at how AD can support climate and nature-friendly farming and address Northern Ireland’s nutrient management crisis as illustrated by the Lough Neagh crisis, and health and safety updates from the ADBA Technical Support Team.

Ahead of the conference, speaker Russell Smyth of KPMG said:

“Northern Ireland has the track record, the land, the feedstock, the regulatory vires and the experience to build a world class biomethane sector.  But it’s missing Government policy support and ambition and has done since 2017.  With the Republic of Ireland recently publishing its own ambitious biomethane target and strategy, NI now stands as one of the few remaining countries across Europe without a plan.  Let’s use the ADBA NI conference to call loudly for policy clarity, biomethane targets and appropriate support to deliver green gas for NI”.

(1) A site visit to Granville Eco Park will be organised by ADBA on 3 September – the day before the conference.  Please contact Montana Hull at montana.hull@adbioresources.org to find out more and register.

View the full ADBA Northern Ireland Conference 2024 programme and register

– ENDS –

For further information, contact:

Jocelyne Bia, Senior Communications Consultant
e: Jocelyne.bia@adbioresources.org ; tel: 020 3176 0592

Notes to editors

• The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) is the trade association for the UK anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas industry.  ADBA’s vision is to see the full potential of the UK AD industry realised so it can help the UK achieve its emissions targets and other policy goals, creating a truly circular economy. www.adbioresources.org

• About the UK AD industry
  • There are currently 740 AD plants operational in the UK
  • The entire industry digests approximately 46 million tonnes of organic material each year – organic material that would otherwise emit greenhouse gases including highly potent methane, if left untreated in landfill.
  • An estimated 24 TWh of biogas is produced each year by the AD industry – this green gas is either used to generate electricity and heat via a combined heat and power (CHP) unit or upgraded to biomethane and injected directly into the national gas grid.
  • The industry currently delivers savings of 1% off the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions every year.
  • An estimated 4,800 people are currently employed in the AD and biogas industry in the UK.
  • Fully deployed, by 2030, the UK AD and biogas industry expected to:
    • create 30,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs.
    • save the UK 27 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent = taking 1/3rd of all cars off the road, by 2030.
    • heat 4.5-6.4 million UK homes with the 8 billion m³ of biomethane generated.

• How AD works

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the natural breakdown of organic matter when deprived of oxygen in a container called digester.  The process produces biogas and a residue called digestate, which can be used as a biofertiliser.  The graphic below shows the applications of biogas and digestate and circularity of the AD process.