Dublin data centre operators complete biomethane purchase

The operators of an off-grid data centre in west Dublin have completed the purchase of biomethane to power the facility.

The data centre, which is operated by Pure Data Centres Group, is not connected to the national electricity grid and instead runs off its own on-site power plant.

When it launched earlier this year, the microgrid system was fuelled by natural gas but the company said this new purchase of biomethane is allowing it to decarbonise the site.

Biomethane is a renewable form of methane gas produced from organic waste through biological processes, and is seen as a sustainable alternative to natural gas.

Pure Data Centres Group said it has completed Europe's first large-scale cross-border biomethane purchase for a data centre, transferring 9GWh of certified German biomethane to the Irish gas network over a seven-day period.

The consignment was produced in 2025 at certified facilities in Germany using waste and residue feedstocks.

"This milestone is directly aligned with Ireland's Climate Action Plan and the 51% emissions reduction target," said Maria Jose Rivas Duarte, Director of Sustainability at Pure Data Centres Group.

"By demonstrating that cross-border biomethane can be procured, mass balanced, and registered at volume through existing infrastructure, we are helping to pave the way for broader data centre sector adoption as well as other industries seeking a credible route to decarbonise natural gas," she added.

Data centres accounted for 22% of electricity usage in Ireland in 2024, up from just 5% in 2015.

It is estimated that the consumption level will grow to almost a third of the national electricity demand by 2030.

In January, the Government published a Large Energy Action Plan aimed at enabling the further development of energy-intensive facilities, including data centres.

It followed the lifting of an effective moratorium on new data centre connections.

In December, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities announced that data centres could be built where they meet at least 80% of their annual energy demand through new renewable electricity sources.