Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Anaerobic Digestion Stakeholder Roundtable Event - Stormont Hotel, Belfast, 4 June 2026
The AERA Committee has identified Anaerobic Digestion (AD) as a priority within its ongoing programme of policy scrutiny and development.
AD is a process that uses naturally occurring bacteria to break down organic materials—including slurries, manures, crops, and food waste—into biogas and valuable nutrient-rich digestate. Recognising its potential, the Committee agreed to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with its development across Northern Ireland.
To support this work, the Committee commissioned a briefing paper from the Assembly Research Service, offering a broad overview of the current landscape, including the main barriers and emerging opportunities for AD in Northern Ireland. In addition, Committee members have undertaken site visits to see first-hand how AD is being successfully implemented in practice.
For additional information, you may wish to refer to:
Building on this work, a dedicated stakeholder event was held on 4 June 2026. The event provided an opportunity to gather valuable insights into:
- The environmental and agricultural challenges linked to AD, and the reasons behind them
- The significant opportunities AD presents for both the environment and agricultural sector
The event brought together over 45 stakeholders from a diverse range of organisations and sectors across Northern Ireland. It fostered meaningful discussion, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration, helping to inform the future direction of AD policy development.
A note of the AD event can be found here.
