Irish soil can take us closer to energy sovereignty

Sir, - The supply challenges for gas and oil brought on by conflict in the Middle East are not merely a supply shock – they are a warning.

While the current fuel crisis will eventually be resolved, the vulnerability it has exposed will not disappear unless we build genuine energy sovereignty. Wind energy and solar power are cornerstones of Ireland’s aim to achieve 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030.

But a lesser-known source of domestic energy lies, quite literally, in our own soil. For example, a byproduct of anaerobic digestion is domestically produced biomethane. This is needed for Ireland to reach its target of 5.7TWh of biomethane annually by 2030, therefore allowing it to meet 10 per cent of national gas demand. That figure will rise to over 50 per cent by the mid-2030s. It is a process that depends on healthy soils teeming with microbial life, clean waterways and diverse grassland ecosystems.

Biodiversity is therefore not in competition with energy security. In Ireland’s case, it is the precondition for it. Protecting it is a critical investment in Ireland’s future resilience. - Yours, etc,