Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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195. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the proposed trial on micro biodigesters has commenced; what supports are in place for micro biodigesters in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34562/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Anaerobic Digestion industry in Ireland has significant potential for development to benefit both the agriculture and energy sectors. While energy policy formation, including renewable energy, is the direct responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), my Department continues to engage with DECC on all energy related matters from an agricultural perspective, including supports for the development of an Anaerobic Digestion industry.

The Microgeneration Support scheme (gov.ie - Micro-generation (www.gov.ie) is one such DECC support for micro digestors and one of the key technologies included in this scheme is micro-combined heat and power. Micro-generation is the general term used to refer to the generation of electricity from renewable technologies including solar photovoltaic (PV), micro-wind, micro-hydro and micro-renewable combined heat and power (CHP). A payment, or Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), is available to all renewable generators that export to the grid, regardless of what energy provider they have a supply contract with.

My Department is engaging with DECC concerning the formation of a national biomethane strategy. The formation of the strategy will include careful and extensive research on scaling up the Anaerobic Digestion industry to help us meet the targets set out in the government decision on sectoral emissions ceilings and the commitment of up to 5.7 Twh of indigenously produced biomethane.