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Project Code [2019R554]
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Project title
Triple A: Abating Ammonia in Agriculture.
Primary Funding Agency
Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine
Co-Funding Organisation(s)
Environmental Protection Agency
Lead Organisation
Teagasc
Project Abstract
The National Emissions Ceilings (NEC) Directive (2001/81/EC) and Gothenburg Protocol (UNECE, 1999) places limits on ammonia emissions, with agriculture comprising 98% of national emissions. The majority of these emissions (>80%) arise from animal housing/storage and the land-spreading of animal manures. Revisions to the NEC Directive under the EU Clean Air Package will require Ireland to limit ammonia to 112kT per annum between 2020 and 2030 and 107.6kT per annum post-2030. However, the Food Wise 2025 initiative, combined with the abolishment of milk quotas has resulted in the rapid expansion of the dairy sector and this has resulted in Ireland breaching NEC Directive limits since 2016 (EPA 2018). In the absence of abatement strategies, ammonia emissions are forecast to increase which may result either in substantial fines or the imposition of a de-facto quota based on emission levels. Furthermore, large point-sources of ammonia are a threat to adjacent to vulnerable peatland and heathland habitats. Increases in ammonia-N deposition may result in critical load exceedance in contravention of the Habitats Directive. As a result, the abatement of these emissions is of vital sectoral and national importance. This project seeks to quantify the abatement potential of a range of measures associated with the storage and land-spreading of bovine slurry and generate the associated national emission factors for each option for inclusion in Ireland�s national ammonia inventories. These measures will include the chemical amendment of slurries as well as a range of low-emission spreading technologies. The regional impact of sectoral expansion on critical N loading to vulnerable ecosystems as well as the potential impact of abatement measures will be also assessed. Ultimately, the objective of this project is to quantify a low ammonia emissions trajectory for agriculture and decouple as far as possible ammonia losses from agricultural production.
Grant Approved
�1,215,944.34
Research Theme
Climate Solutions, Transition Management and Opportunities
Initial Projected Completion Date
30/11/2024