The biomethane economy in the Republic of Ireland has been given a boost with the publication of the long-awaited draft Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) bill.
The proposed RHO is designed to ensure fossil fuel suppliers (for heating) source a portion of their fuel supplied from renewable sources.
A 1.5% renewable minimum is proposed for year 1, increasing to 3% in year two and increasing thereafter based on market information and biomethane availability.
This will help increase market demand for biomethane in Ireland, encouraging more plants to come online, and increase production.
The full text of the proposed bill can be found here.
Northern Ireland will need a similar support scheme to support the development of a biomethane economy. An RHO was one of the options explored by KPMG and Action Renewables in a 2022 report exploring potential renewable gas support options in Northern Ireland.