I move:
That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to make provision for a national anaerobic digestion strategy and to provide for related matters.
I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to introduce the Anaerobic Digestion (National Strategy) Bill 2023. At the outset, I wish to state that what this Bill does is very simple. It creates a mechanism whereby the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications can develop and publish a strategy for anaerobic digestion right across Ireland. This Bill will also introduce a timebound element whereby a six-month limit will be introduced after the passing of the Bill within which the Minister must introduce an anaerobic digestion strategy for Ireland. That is what the Bill does. There is also an element of necessity to consult relevant stakeholders when publishing the strategy.
At this point it is important to explain what anaerobic digestion does. I know that the Minister present understands the process of anaerobic digestion very well. When bacteria break down organic material like animal slurry or other waste or food products, etc., they turn it into a biogas. One byproduct is biogas and the other byproduct is a low-emissions slurry or organic fertiliser. The key element of this for me is that it is a source of renewable energy. The gas can be pumped directly into a gas pipeline and can be used for home heating, etc., or for electricity production. It can also be used in transport. Here, under our noses, we have an indigenous form of renewable energy that we should be using but are not using to its full potential.
As a country, it has been well documented that we are struggling to move away from fossil fuels which we know are damaging and are contributing in a big way to climate change. Onshore wind is a well-developed renewable energy. Offshore wind is years away, particularly floating offshore wind. Obviously, we are trying to roll out solar energy as well. We have an opportunity for different sectors, including agriculture and industry, and even in the home, to contribute to our journey towards emissions reductions.
I will give the example of a medium-sized anaerobic digester very close to me in Timoleague. This anaerobic digester takes in 35,000 tonnes of waste material every year - animal slurry, waste product from the local distillery and waste product from the local chicken factory - and converts it into a renewable gas. It creates 500 kW of energy, which is enough energy to power 1,000 homes. If that could be scaled up, one can imagine the level of emissions reductions we could achieve. Although this excellent technology has been very well developed internationally, we are way behind the international scene. For example, in Germany, there are 10,000 anaerobic digesters. I am not suggesting for a second that we should have that amount, but I believe that we have less than 15 here. That gives the House an idea of how far behind we are with regard to this technology.
This technology is so beneficial for many sectors. I will start with agriculture. We have much debate at the moment about derogation. I come from west Cork, where derogation and the new limits are a big issue. Many farmers are questioning the viability of their farms because these changes will lead to a reduction in cow numbers. While this is also an issue in County Tipperary, it is less so because in that county any excess slurry can be exported to tillage land. We do not have tillage in west Cork, or that extent of tillage, so we are not left with that option. Therefore, this provides an alternative place to bring excess slurry. There is that element and also the element of being part of reductions in emissions. This should be done on a co-operative scale whereby local regions would have anaerobic digesters and farmers from the area would be able to feed into those digesters. It is important to say that any emissions savings that arise where most of the feed for an anaerobic digester is coming from agriculture would be attributed to agriculture.
Anaerobic digestion has its use in the home. I give a shout out to MyGug.eu, which produces small egg-shaped anaerobic digesters for the home. Instead of one's food or food waste going into the bin, it goes down the sink, into one's anaerobic digester and produces gas, which then can be used to cook in the home. This can be scaled up and can be done in hospitality and in places like hotels, for example, where all the cooking can be done using this form of renewable gas.
There are many benefits. We do not have a strategy and we need one. I commend this Bill to the Dáil.
