Irish renewable energy developer Local Power has announced a strategic partnership with Vienna-based anaerobic digestion (AD) technology specialists BIOGEST to advance agricultural biomethane projects across Ireland, as reported by Agriland.

The collaboration brings together Local Power's domestic project development experience across biomethane, solar PV, battery storage, and EV charging infrastructure with BIOGEST's global expertise in biogas and biomethane plant solutions.

The first joint venture under the arrangement is Curragh Biogas in Carnaross, County Meath — a ready-to-build facility designed to produce 599 Nm³/h of biomethane using a feedstock mix of poultry, cattle, and pig slurry alongside grass, maize, and rye silage. Once operational, the project is projected to reduce annual emissions by an estimated 25,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Pat Smith, Managing Director of Local Power, said: "BIOGEST's proven technology will provide real confidence to farmers and developers and we see this partnership as an important step towards building a robust and sustainable biomethane industry."

Martin Schlerka, CEO of BIOGEST, said: "Ireland offers a very promising environment for biomethane development, and we look forward to contributing our expertise to support the sector's growth — provided a stable and effective policy framework is in place."

Ireland's National Biomethane Strategy targets 5.7 TWh of indigenously produced biomethane per year by 2030. Current production stands well below that threshold, with fewer than 0.1 TWh injected annually as of 2024 from only two operational facilities, meaning between 140 and 200 AD plants are estimated to be required to close the gap.

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien has emphasised that the Government's approach places priority on developing the AD sector in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Discover the full scope of the Local Power and BIOGEST partnership in the complete report.