Investments in anaerobic digestion (AD) technology are eligible under the Government-backed Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme (GSLS).

In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal, the Department of Agriculture said that it has engaged with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI), which has confirmed that the GSLS 'green checker' includes investment in AD.

The scheme provides up to €3m in low-cost loans for up to 10 years from participating banks and financial institutions.

Small-scale finance scheme

Under the national biomethane strategy, the Government committed to assessing the potential for an appropriate small-scale finance scheme. The scheme would be required to help farmers build small-scale, biomethane-producing AD plants.

This action was assigned to the Department of Agriculture, with support from stakeholders including the Biomethane Implementation Group, the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and the SBCI. It was due to be completed by Q4 2024.

The Department of Agriculture also said that it has engaged with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) regarding a potential funding model for smaller-scale AD.

“As a result of these discussions, it was agreed that research should first be conducted to demonstrate the viability of smaller on-farm AD plants.

"This research has been funded by DAFM through carbon tax funds and is currently under way by Teagasc,” the statement read.

“A potential funding model will then be explored via ISIF if the research demonstrates that certain technological solutions are feasible at farm level,” it stated.

The Teagasc research AD plant in Grange, Co Meath, remains non-operational.