Agriculture has been put under the spotlight in recent years as Ireland attempts to decarbonise its economy and meet the challenges and commitments laid out und

Agriculture has been put under the spotlight in recent years as Ireland attempts to decarbonise its economy and meet the challenges and commitments laid out under the Paris Climate Accord and Sustainable Development Goals. This was highlighted by the 2017 Citizens Assembly on Climate Change which evaluated Ireland’s current emissions status and in which 89% of citizens voted to support a tax on emissions arising from agriculture1. With over a third of national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission currently coming from the agriculture sector, most would agree that urgent action is necessary. Ireland’s fragmented supply chain and high grass production area make small-scale biorefineries a key opportunity area for growing Ireland’s bioeconomy, particularly in rural regions.

This project aims to improve the overall sustainability, value and resource efficiency of Ireland’s agriculture sector through diversification into the bioeconomy, using a rurally-imbedded and widely replicable small-scale farmer-operable grass biorefinery.