Renewable energy company Nephin Renewable Gas (NRG) has sought planning permission for a new anerobic digestion (AD) facility in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Waterford.

According to documents submitted to Waterford City and County Council, the development will accept and treat 90,000t per annum of locally-sourced agricultural manures, slurries, food processing residues and crop-based feedstocks to produce grid-quality biomethane suitable for direct injection into the Gas Network Ireland (GNI) distribution network.

Apart from NRG, the application is also made in the name of James Foran, who is one of the landowners on whose land the proposed project will be built, along with Peter Mulcahy. Both men have addresses at Carrick-on-Suir.

The application site comprises an area of 7.7ha. It is primarily surrounded by agricultural lands, and is adjacent to an existing piggery to the southeast. The site includes an area of the existing public road to south of the main site area, to provide for access to the development.

The application documents say that an AD facility will be constructed on the site that will produce renewable biomethane, CO2 (which will be captured), and a bio-based fertiliser from organic material.

The total floor area of the development is set to be 3,482m².

The development will consist of three digesters of around 15m in height, two digestate storage structures of similar height, four pump houses, and a liquid feed tank.

Other proposed structures for the site include (among many others):

Pasteurisation tanks;
Reception hall;
Solid digestate storage unit;
Odour abatement plant;
CO2 tanks and treatment facilities;
Biogas treatment facilities;
Office and administration building;
Grid injection unit and ESB substation.

The planning application also proposes alterations to the existing public road to allow access to the site, as well as the provision of parking.

An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) have also been submitted as part of the application.

A number of objections have been made to the proposed development already, on a variety of grounds, including biodiversity, the impact of traffic, and the visual effect on the surrounding landscape.