Providing a State subsidy for farmers to use a methane-reducing slurry additive would be 15 times better value for money than subsidies for electric vehicles when it comes to reducing greenhouse gases, according to a submission to the Government.

Glasport Bio has called on the Government to introduce financial supports for manure management technologies (MMTs) such as its GasAbate system, which has been proven to reduce methane in stored slurry by up to 80%.

Glasport Bio said farmers will not use MMTs because there is no direct or monetary benefit to farmers to reduce methane in their farm slurry. However, society would benefit from farmers cutting greenhouse gases and the State would be better equipped to meet its legally binding national and international targets.

Currently, the cost of Government subsidies for household heat pumps amounts to €195/t of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) saved. Grants for battery electric vehicles equate to €777/t of CO2e saved.

Glasport Bio argue that the cost of providing a 60% grant for MMTs on farms would be €50/t of CO2e saved. That’s 15 times less than subsiding a battery electric car.

If Ireland does not meet agreed greenhouse gas reduction targets, it faces fines of up to €26bn, a report by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and Climate Change Advisory Council warned in March.

Glasport Bio called for a two-part subsidy to cover both the capital cost of on-farm equipement and the ongoing methane-reducing slurry ingredient.

It proposed that the State could drive the adoption of MMTs on all farms in a number of ways, with one suggestion being to make them obligatory for derogation dairy farms, but provide grant aid to them.

It also proposed a two-hand reel between Government and dairy co-ops.

A 100% State-funded grant for GasAbate on a 100-cow dairy farm would cost €8,000, while the cost of the oxidising agent for the co-op would equate to 0.37c/l for the average 100-cow herd.

The technology behind GasAbate is not listed in the national inventory of greenhouse gases, a key first step for the company and any related supports.