Could agri-food be key to securing NI energy supply?

I have written previously on the need for Northern Ireland agri-food to be part of the solution on climate change. As the organisations representing producers and processors across the local industry made clear when climate change legislation was being debated at Stormont earlier this year, it is vital that MLAs fully understand the role food and farming has to play in meeting UK net zero. We are a key strategic industry, feeding 10 million people, and we simply must be part of the solution.

Industry is well aware of the need for change, and processors are finding innovative ways to make their processes, products and packaging more sustainable. At the recent 2022 Northern Ireland Food and Drink Awards, the new Environmental Sustainability category saw a record number of entries from processors who have initiated projects to enhance their environmental footprint.

Improvements across the food supply chain are happening, but they can and should be accelerated, and this will require investment. To support these improvements, NIFDA fully supports the creation of an all-embracing sustainability body to raise, measure and certify the environmental credentials of every food product grown or made in Northern Ireland. This was proposed by Sir Peter Kendall recently in the Independent Strategic Review of Northern Ireland Agri-Food and has the strong support of industry.

One key opportunity for our sector going forward in terms of reducing emissions as well as promoting the circular economy is the potential of biomethane gas.

Also sometimes referred to as biogas or ‘renewable natural gas’, biomethane is a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuel gas, produced through anaerobic digestion.

Anaerobic digestion is a process that allows producers to recycle nutrients in slurry, manure and waste, using the digestate produced as fertiliser. Biomethane is a by-product of this process which if captured is a very efficient fuel that is actually carbon negative, meaning it has the net effect of reducing carbon levels in the atmosphere.

Crucially, this gas is compatible both with conventional gas boilers, and Northern Ireland’s existing natural gas pipelines. Indeed, it has been reported that Northern Ireland is better placed than other parts of the UK to benefit from this technology, given our strong rural economy and modern natural gas network.

This technology is somewhat underdeveloped at present, but it has the potential to be revolutionary in reducing Northern Ireland’s carbon emissions, while heating homes with domestically produced, clean, recycled fuel. DAERA’s ‘Future Agricultural Policy Decisions for Northern Ireland’ document reports that there are approximately 9.2million cubic metres of slurry produced annually from housed cattle, pigs and poultry. If this were anaerobically digested, the report says, this manure would produce an amount of gas equivalent to 14 per cent of natural gas consumed in Northern Ireland.

In order to be efficient, this opportunity needs to be realised on a macro rather than micro scale. As the next Executive seeks to implement green growth and energy transition strategies, realising the potential of biomethane should be a priority.

The ongoing tragic events in Ukraine have highlighted to policymakers the importance both of food security and security of energy supply. Biomethane technology is one clear example of how a strong local agri-food sector can be instrumental not just in increased energy self-sufficiency in Northern Ireland, but in reducing emissions significantly and contributing to the fight against climate change.