For biomethane production locations that could be situated far from the current gas network, CGI facilities offer injection points.

Injecting biomethane into the national gas network is made possible by the program, which the network operator characterises as a revolutionary milestone in Ireland's shift to renewable energy.

The Cork plant, according to Gas Networks Ireland, would be able to inject up to 700 GWh of renewable biomethane gas per year, which would account for almost 12% of the government's 2030 biomethane objective.

The plant is expected to become a key component of Ireland's sustainable energy infrastructure by lowering the country's CO₂ emissions by an estimated 130,000 tonnes annually.

Furthermore, because biomethane is created by the breakdown of organic material, specifically feedstock, it presents a chance for farming families and the Irish agriculture industry to diversify and add a new source of income.

The move comes after Gas Networks Ireland conducted a market engagement exercise earlier this year in which 22 potential biomethane producers expressed interest in responding to a call for Expressions of Interest to provide biomethane to the new plant.

The significant response to the latest expressions of interest "demonstrates the growing momentum behind Ireland’s biomethane industry," according to Cathal Marley, CEO of Gas Networks Ireland.