Gas Networks Ireland unveils €200m investment plans to decarbonise Scottish compressor stations and decrease its operational Green House Gas (GHG) Emissions by 42%
- Gas Network Ireland’s two compressor stations in South West Scotland together supply nearly 80 per cent of Ireland’s gas requirements
- New Electric Motor Drives earmarked for Beattock and Brighouse Bay compressor station sites will help to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental waste and atmospheric pollutants locally
- The zero-emission technology will significantly reduce emissions at Gas Network Ireland’s strategic sites in Scotland while strengthening the overall resilience and sustainability of Ireland’s gas infrastructure
- This investment announcement coincides with the UK-Ireland Summit taking place in Cork today
Gas Networks Ireland has today unveiled plans to decarbonise its two compressor stations at Beattock and Brighouse Bay in Scotland through the installation of new Electric Motor Drives (EMDs) at each site. This will see the organisation’s overall operational Green House Gas (GHG) emissions reduced by 42 per cent compared with current levels.
The estimated investment for the project is approximately €200m (£170m) and it is targeted to be operational in 2030, subject to various regulatory planning and environmental processes both in Ireland and Scotland.
The announcement of this investment coincides with the UK-Ireland Summit 2026 taking place in Cork today to demonstrate cross border collaboration and highlight the shared ambitions of Ireland and the UK to deliver meaningful progress on common sustainability goals.
Gas Network Ireland’s compressor stations in South West Scotland together supply almost 80 per cent of Ireland’s natural gas requirements. The plans to locate a new EMD at each site will help to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact as EMDs are a zero-emissions technology.
The EMDs will reduce environmental pollutants emitted by traditional exhaust stacks. Powered by renewable energy, they will also reduce associated indirect emissions.
Gas Networks Ireland Chief Executive, David Kelly said, “This year Gas Networks Ireland will celebrate 50 years in operation, and it is our hope that this decarbonisation project will be recorded as another milestone moment in our organisation's history. From a company that started out with town gas only five decades ago, we are now working to deliver a net-zero carbon gas network run on biomethane and hydrogen. As we transition Ireland’s network toward a renewable gas future, we are simultaneously working to identify solutions to reduce our own organisation’s carbon emissions, and this investment is a major step forward in that regard.”
Gas Networks Ireland Director of Assets & Infrastructure, Brian Sheehan added, “When considering the options to decarbonise our primary supply sites in Scotland, we completed a thorough review and analysis of the market and identified Electric Motor Drives as a tried and tested technology across Europe. They also provide greater operational flexibility as we transition to renewable power and become coupled with renewable electricity generation. While this project is still at early stages, we have completed due diligence and initiated proactive and positive engagement with key stakeholders in both Ireland and Scotland.”
The project is currently at detailed design and planning phase, with the local planning application due to be submitted to Dumfries & Galloway Council in Scotland in coming months. The tender processes for both the EMD supply, and the new compressor hall design and build, are also approved and live. In line with current forecasts, and subject to appropriate approvals, construction will commence when supplier contracts are awarded, with the new EMDs anticipated to be operational in 2030.
