Cormac Nevin, Head of Energy Engineering, was invited by Energy Ireland and Gas Networks Ireland to join a panel discussion at the Irish Gas Forum in Dublin.
The theme of the forum was "The need to decarbonise Ireland’s gas network" and Cormac was joined by panellists from industrial organisational bodies, government departments and policy makers in the area of energy and decarbonisation. The discussion centred on the development of the national gas grid including Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), addition of Hydrogen to the energy mix and biomethane injection.
Decarbonising the Irish gas grid through hydrogen and biomethane injection will go a long way towards meeting residential, transport and agriculture emissions targets. The team in Veolia welcomes this challenge. Some projects we are already involved in include the production of heat and power from biogas derived from the wastewater treatment process via thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion at Osberstown Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Carbon Energy Fund projects where we are reducing hospital energy and emissions by up to 30%.
This was a great opportunity to share Veolia Ireland's experience and ambitions in the area of carbon reduction and utilities management. Gas Networks Ireland shared very ambitious but necessary targets in their Vision2050 report. The report sets the schedule for decarbonisation but significant support from government, the regulator and industry is needed to achieve these goals.
