The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has today, February 11, invited expressions of interest for innovative projects to use meat and bonemeal (MBM) as a renewable energy source in Ireland.

Capital funding will be available to assist the successful applicants.

Ireland produces and exports approximately 60,000 tonnes of high-risk MBM annually to Britain.

EU regulation prohibits the export of MBM to non-EU countries. Following Brexit, Ireland secured a short-term derogation allowing the continued export of MBM to Britain until June 30, 2025.

According to DAFM, other EU member states cannot currently provide a viable outlet for the MBM, due to economic and environmental constraints.

As a result of these developments, DAFM said Ireland is urgently developing measures for the sustainable disposal of MBM in Ireland.

The organisation has said it will make payments based on invoices submitted by the operator.

Applicants who wish to participate in the scheme must provide a detailed draft of the proposed project for the disposal of MBM, and its use as a renewable energy source.

They must also provide the expected tonnage of MBM to be disposed of per calendar year under the proposed project. The project should be of significant size and ambition to make a significant contribution to Ireland’s needs.

Applicants most show evidence of authentic costings and certainty of costings across the projects timelines, as well as realistic timescales and a delivery plan for the project.

Finally, participants most provide evidence of engagement with the rendering industry, and preferably a commitment to supply MBM to the renewable energy facility.

DAFM has said that using MBM as a renewable fuel will assist decarbonisation and result in carbon dioxide emission reductions.

They said it will also support the circular economy by generating energy from a harmful agricultural by-product that would otherwise be exported.

The scheme will end on July 31, 2025.