3F Green Model attends Farming Renewable Energy Summit 2024

Representatives from 3F Partners MTU were present at the inaugural Farming Renewable Energy Summit 2024, held in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, Ireland, on April 17th, 2024.

The summit attracted a diverse gathering of industry professionals, academics, and farmers, all converging to explore the dynamic intersection of the energy and agricultural sectors. At the forefront of discussions was the pressing issue of the current state of this intersection and its implications.

Much attention was directed towards the challenges confronting the agricultural community in Ireland as it aligns with targets outlined in the European Green Deal. As part of its climate plan, the Irish Government has set a target of producing 5.7 terawatt-hours of biomethane by 2030, which equates to approximately  10% of Ireland's current demand for natural gas. There is an interim target of 1 TWh by 2025. This stands as a particularly tricky goal within the existing regulatory frameworks and public sentiment.

Highlighted as crucial to achieving these targets was the imperative of addressing planning reform and fostering enhanced community engagement, especially concerning AD plants and biogas production. Such initiatives are deemed essential for scaling up these projects to meet Ireland's energy goals.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who hinted at the imminent release of a long-awaited strategy and action plan for Biogas. While specifics were not divulged, anticipation is high that this forthcoming plan will play a pivotal role in unlocking Ireland's biogas production potential. This strategy should give clarifications on key areas of uncertainty such as the availability of capital grants and feed-in tariffs.