Northern Ireland's circular bioeconomy: AD, biomethane, and biochar as a stacked revenue opportunity

Northern Ireland could replace up to 82% of its fossil gas demand with biomethane from farm waste, according to a new CASE report. The region's agricultural sector produces large volumes of slurry that can be processed via anaerobic digestion to create dispatchable energy, biofertiliser, and biochar. The strategy also targets nutrient recovery and carbon sequestration, with biochar used in concrete products already installed at a Queen's University building. The approach stacks revenue from energy, nutrient, and carbon services to make projects more viable. The Climate Change Act (NI) 2022 and the 80% renewable electricity target by 2030 create legal pressure to move. The report argues this is an industrial strategy, not just an environmental fix. It's a concrete example of how circular economy principles can decarbonise multiple sectors at once.