Sod turns on landmark Mayo green energy project
Pictured at the sod turning event for Ireland’s largest agri-based biomethane plant in Ballinrobe this morning (Thursday) with Minister of State at the Department of Energy, Climate and the Environment, Alan Dillon TD are Cllr Michael Burke; Tom O’Brien, Group Chief Executive Nephin Renewable Gas; Donal Murphy CEO DCC Plc; Grahame Lockhead, Managing Director, Nephin Renewable Gas; John Rooney, Managing director Flogas and Dennis King, Canadian Ambassador to Ireland.
Minister of State at the Department of Energy, Climate and the Environment, Alan Dillon TD, today officially turned the sod on Ireland’s largest agri-based biomethane plant in Ballinrobe a landmark moment for Mayo and for Ireland’s renewable energy future.
At the ceremony, Minister Dillon was joined by senior representatives from Nephin Renewable Gas, Flogas, DCC plc, and the Canadian Ambassador, Mr. Dennis King, to celebrate a project that will bring an estimated €200 million to the local economy and create hundreds of jobs across Mayo and the wider region.
“This is a proud day for Ballinrobe and for rural Mayo,” said Minister Dillon. “This strategic partnership between Nephin and Flogas represents a major leap forward in Ireland’s green energy transition. The €50 million investment in this facility will process 90,000 tonnes of agricultural waste annually, generating over 85 GWh of renewable gas. Crucially, it will create more than 225 direct and indirect jobs in construction, logistics, maintenance, feedstock supply, and more. This is real opportunity for families and businesses across Ballinrobe and South Mayo.”
Unlike other anaerobic digestion (AD) plants that rely on food or municipal waste, the Ballinrobe facility will be farmer-focused and agri-led, using manures, slurries, and crop residues.
“This project is designed by and for the farming community. It means new income streams for farmers through feedstock supply, lower on-farm emissions, and the return of nutrient-rich biofertiliser to the land — reducing the need for chemical fertilisers while improving soil health. This is the circular economy in action: turning waste into value, with farmers at the very heart of the solution.”
The Ballinrobe plant will produce 85 GWh of clean, Irish biomethane annually — enough to heat thousands of homes directly supporting Ireland’s national target of producing 5.7 TWh of biomethane by 2030. Located on lands owned by John Sheridan it is the first of three AD plants to be developed under a landmark offtake agreement between Nephin and Flogas.
Minister Dillon also highlighted the importance of clear policy signals: “The forthcoming Heads of Bill for the Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO), due in 2026, are giving clarity to the market. This project shows how industry and government can work hand-in-hand to deliver on our climate targets while ensuring rural Ireland prospers.”
The Ballinrobe biomethane plant is scheduled to come online in 2027, following an 18-month construction and commissioning phase.
