Case study: Abbey Machinery, Toomevara, County Tipperary

Established by the Cavanagh family in 1947, Abbey Machinery has specialised in manufacturing farm machinery for the agricultural sector for over 75 years. Today, the third generation of the family runs the business from a state-of-the-art, purpose-built manufacturing facility spanning more than 100,000 square feet in Toomevara, County Tipperary.

Located off the natural gas grid, Abbey Machinery relies on a renewable liquid gas blend as part of its energy mix, combined with onsite solar electricity generation and battery storage. The renewable liquid gas blend powers the facility’s two paint booth heaters and provides essential heat for the production floor during the winter months.

“As a rural business off the natural gas grid, our options are limited when it comes to lower carbon and renewable sources to meet our energy needs. Renewable liquid gas is essential to us, particularly because of the high heat requirements in our production facility – especially in our paint shop and powder-coating ovens, which operate at over 200°C.

“When designing our facility, we considered electricity, but it simply wasn’t viable. To generate the same level of heat, we would have needed to double the size of our onsite transformer and upgrade cabling across the site – a huge outlay, coupled with significantly higher running costs compared to liquid gas.

“As a rural business, sustainability and environmental responsibility have always been central to our operations. Having renewable energy options that are accessible, affordable, and reliable is vital. That’s why we have chosen a renewable liquid gas blend to meet our high-heat demands, complemented by onsite solar power generation that supplies 100% renewable electricity.

“Going green and working towards carbon neutrality is expensive, with substantial capital outlays. On top of this, renewable liquid gas carries an additional premium compared to standard fuel. This shouldn’t discourage rural businesses from reducing their carbon footprint. We believe the Government should introduce incentives to ensure renewable liquid gas is available at the same cost as renewable gas on the natural gas grid.

“We are proud to support the local economy, employing over 120 people onsite. With ambitions to expand and grow exports – currently reaching markets as far as Australia, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia – we are determined to continue creating jobs locally while maintaining our carbon neutral journey. For businesses like ours, government support is critical to achieving both growth and sustainability.”

Owen Cavanagh
Co-Director, Abbey Machinery