New Biorefinery and Anaerobic Digestion Facilities Open at Shinagh Farm

Carbery marked an important milestone at Shinagh Farm with the official opening of new grass biorefinery and anaerobic digestion demonstration facilities, followed by a farm walk showcasing the latest research, technologies and practical sustainability measures being trialled on the farm.

OSM PHOTO – 01/09/2026 – REPRO FREE for Editorial Use – Kevin O’Connor, Farm Zero C / BiOrbic; James Gaffey, MTU CircBio Research Group; Minister Martin Heydon TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Jason Hawkins, CEO, Carbery, and John O’Brien, Chair, Carbery, pictured at the official opening of Ireland’s first on-farm integrated grass biorefinery and anaerobic digestion demonstration facility at Shinagh Estates Demonstration Farm, Bandon, Co. Cork. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD officially opened the €3 million demonstration facility, which brings grass biorefining and anaerobic digestion together in a working farm environment to test how grass can be used to produce multiple outputs including livestock feed, protein ingredients, renewable energy and nutrient-rich products. Picture: Michael O’Sullivan / OSM PHOTO

The new facilities form part of the ongoing work at Shinagh through Farm Zero C, bringing research and technology together on a working dairy farm to explore practical solutions for the future of farming.

The grass biorefinery is designed to investigate how greater value can be created from grass while maintaining its important role as a feed source. Through processing and separation, the technology can produce a range of potential outputs, including livestock feed, protein and biobased ingredients.

OSM PHOTO – 01/09/2026 – REPRO FREE for Editorial Use – James Gaffey, MTU CircBio Research Group; Kevin O’Connor, Farm Zero C / BiOrbic; John O’Brien, Chair, Carbery; Minister Martin Heydon TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Jason Hawkins, CEO, Carbery, pictured at the official opening of Ireland’s first on-farm integrated grass biorefinery and anaerobic digestion demonstration facility at Shinagh Estates Demonstration Farm, Bandon, Co. Cork. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon TD officially opened the €3 million demonstration facility, which brings grass biorefining and anaerobic digestion together in a working farm environment to test how grass can be used to produce multiple outputs including livestock feed, protein ingredients, renewable energy and nutrient-rich products. Picture: Michael O’Sullivan / OSM PHOTO

Alongside this, the anaerobic digestion facility demonstrates the potential to generate renewable energy from agricultural materials while exploring opportunities around nutrient management and the circular use of resources on farm.

The facilities were officially opened by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, with representatives from Carbery, Shinagh Estates, project partners, the farming community and the wider agri-food sector in attendance.

REPRO-FREE: Bandon, West Cork, Ireland. 1st Sept, 2026. Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon (FG) opened the Farm Zero C Green Biorefinery & Anaerobic Digestion Plant today. A large crowd attended the launch of the plant, which is the only one of its kind in Ireland. Picture: Andy Gibson.

The opening was followed by a farm walk, giving attendees the opportunity to see the work underway across Shinagh first-hand and hear directly from the teams involved.

The farm walk highlighted a range of areas being explored through Farm Zero C, from grassland and nutrient management to biodiversity, water quality, renewable energy and new technologies. It also provided an opportunity to discuss how research can translate into practical measures that work within commercial dairy farming.

REPRO-FREE: Bandon, West Cork, Ireland. 1st Sept, 2026. Shinagh Dairy Farm held an open day today on its premises in bandon. Hundreds of people joinded Minister of Agriculture, Martin Heydon (FG) to walk through the different info. boards about breeding, grass production, succession and more. Farm walk attendees listen intently at one of the info. boards. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Shinagh’s role as a working demonstration farm is central to this approach. Technologies and practices can be tested in a real farming environment, generating evidence on their practical application, environmental impact and potential value for farmers.

Farm Zero C brings together a wide range of research, industry and farming partners with the shared ambition of developing a climate-neutral dairy farm. The project continues to explore how emissions can be reduced while supporting productive, resilient and economically sustainable farming.

The opening of the new facilities represents another step in that work, creating a space where emerging technologies can be demonstrated, tested and shared with farmers and the wider industry.

Thank you to Minister Heydon, our project partners, speakers, farmers and everyone who joined us at Shinagh for the opening and farm walk.