Businesses, farmers, communities and members of the public are urged to engage in consultation

The company is urging businesses, farmers, communities and members of the public to engage with the process before it closes on December 15.

The Department for the Economy and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs launched the consultation at the recent NI Renewable Gas Conference 2026, hosted by Phoenix Energy. In what is a positive step towards a more sustainable energy future, the consultation sets out the first joint government framework for developing a biomethane sector in Northern Ireland, covering key areas including financial support, gas network connections, gas quality and nutrient management.

Biomethane is a renewable gas produced locally from farm residues, food waste and other organic materials through the anaerobic digestion process. It can be transported through the existing gas network and used in the same way as natural gas, meaning homes and businesses do not need to change any of their equipment.

David Butler, Director of Evolve said: “This consultation marks an important milestone for Northern Ireland and a genuine opportunity to build a thriving, homegrown biomethane sector. It comes at a pivotal time, with last month’s Green Gas Taskforce report underscoring the scale of the prize for our economy and rural communities.”

The recent Green Gas Taskforce report found that developing Northern Ireland’s biomethane sector could generate £5 billion in Gross Value Added and support 3,000 jobs by 2050. According to the report, local feedstock could produce biomethane equal to more than two and a half times the gas used by homes on the Northern Ireland network.

However, only around 2.5% of the region’s organic farm waste currently goes to anaerobic digestion. The report also estimated that 85p of every £1 invested in biomethane stays in the local economy. The Taskforce called for a clear production ambition, long-term investment certainty, recognition of biomethane’s wider environmental value and the removal of regulatory and infrastructure barriers.

As responses to the consultation across Northern Ireland are encouraged, Evolve, has also stressed the importance of maintaining momentum once the process closes. The operator would welcome the final strategy being agreed promptly in 2027 to give producers and investors the confidence to commit, a view echoed in the Assembly’s recently published Public Accounts Committee report on the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy, which supports the prioritisation of biomethane proposals.

Alongside the consultation, the Department for the Economy has issued a request for information to help build its business case for a support scheme for biomethane use in industry. It is seeking views from biomethane producers and from businesses interested in using biomethane, to show the level of supply and demand for locally produced renewable gas.

The Biomethane Strategy and Policy Framework consultation remains open until 5pm on December 15 2026, while the request for information closes at 5pm on November 19 2026. Both can be accessed via the Department for the Economy website.

Evolve has been bringing ‘gas to the west’ in recent years to Mid Ulster towns including Coalisland, Cookstown, Dungannon, and Magherafelt.