Taoiseach Micheál Martin will officially open Gas Networks Ireland's €32 million Central Grid Injection (CGI) facility in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, this afternoon, marking a major step in the development of Ireland's indigenous biomethane industry.

The Cork-based CGI site — the first of its kind in Ireland and Europe — provides a route for renewable gas producers that are too far from the gas grid to connect by pipeline. Biomethane made from farm and food waste at independent anaerobic digestion plants can be transported by trailer to Mitchelstown, upgraded to network standards and injected into the national gas grid, from where it can flow to customers.

At full capacity, the facility can inject up to 700 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of biomethane per year, equivalent to around 12% of the Government's 2030 goal of 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane production, and could avoid an estimated 130,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Speaking at the opening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: "The opening of the Mitchelstown Central Grid Injection facility is an important milestone in Ireland's renewable energy journey and in the development of our indigenous biomethane industry.

"Ireland has set an ambitious target for biomethane production by 2030, and delivering the infrastructure to connect this renewable gas to our national network is a vital element in helping to achieve that goal.

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"This investment also has the potential to create new economic opportunities in the agricultural sector, providing farmers and rural businesses with opportunities to diversify their income while contributing to our climate and energy security objectives.

"I'm delighted to return to Mitchelstown, having turned the sod on this project in October 2024, and to see the construction completed and ready to play its part in Ireland's renewable energy future."

Gas Networks Ireland's Chief Executive Officer, David Kelly, said: "Today marks an important step forward for Ireland's biomethane industry. What we are seeing is a growing appetite from prospective biomethane producers to develop homemade renewable gas and to bring it onto the national network.

"Our market engagement has shown us that the potential is significant, and biomethane also has the potential to create new revenue and diversification opportunities, by turning agricultural and organic resources into renewable energy.

"Having recently connected two anaerobic digestion plants in Dublin and Meath directly to our gas network, Mitchelstown now gives producers who are not close enough to a pipeline a route into the national network, helping to unlock the potential of Ireland's biomethane industry."

"In addition to this biomethane facility and with works already underway on the Southern Area capacity upgrades, our investment in the Munster region will be north of €80 million, as we look to bolster and enhance our security of supply."

Ireland's biomethane sector is undergoing rapid expansion. Gas Networks Ireland has signed agreements to connect seven major new biomethane producers to the grid, including the €35 million College Group plant in Co Meath and Bia Energy's €90 million biomethane facility in Dublin.

The Mitchelstown CGI forms part of the Green Renewable Agricultural Zero Emissions (GRAZE) project, which showcases scalable agricultural biomethane clusters and is supported by €8.4 million from the Climate Action Fund to help advance renewable energy and strengthen national energy security.

The project was delivered with Fingleton White responsible for design and GMC Utilities Group as construction contractor. It adds to significant infrastructure investment in Munster, alongside the €50 million Southern Area Upgrade announced earlier this year, bringing Gas Networks Ireland's spend in the region to more than €80 million.