The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) 25th National Bioenergy conference covering solid biomass and biochar takes place today at the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare with the dedicated biomethane / biofuel conference taking place later in the year. The title of the conference is “From Resource to Resilience: Biomass Fuelling Ireland’s energy future.” The conference is kindly sponsored by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Worrell Timber Group, Balcas Energy and with additional sponsorship from BnM and Mc Cauley Wood Fuels.
Delivering the conference opening address, Maurice Ryan, President of the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) and Director of Business Development for Green Belt said: “There is no doubt that the time for biomass deployment at scale is now, given the challenges facing us in terms of rising fossil fuel prices due to war, climate change, decarbonisation and delivery on Ireland’s renewable energy targets. There is a significant opportunity and great potential for biomass including the role for forestry and timber production as valuable income drivers in rural communities. It is incumbent on the Government and industry to further encourage the forestry program and rapidly increase the levels of afforestation, to increase the land availability for forestry and woodland development and work towards attaining our climate targets. The Government has ambitious targets to increase the amount of timber used in buildings and construction, which must be based around indigenous timber supply. The bioenergy sector and renewable heat produced using solid biomass is a key enabler of sustainable forest management which is vital to maximising the potential of the forest for timber production.”
There is significant potential to drive forward with the deployment of bioenergy in Ireland.
Seán Finan, CEO of the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) said: “The building blocks for the development of the biomass sector are beginning to line up. Biomass is the cheapest form of renewable heat available. It was good to hear Minister Dooley, in his opening address, affirm the Government objective to develop the biomass sector as a source of indigenous renewable energy with huge potential. We now need to see an acceleration on the roll out of key policy and legislative frameworks to bring projects forward and drive action on the ground in project development.”
The key messages arising from today’s conference include:
Solid biomass and wood fuels
- Extension of the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) to the ETS sector
- Removal of the SSRH scheme cap (1MW)
- Need for increase in SSRH operational tariffs and adjustment of the heat cap
- Requirement for enhanced Government, policy and industry recognition for the solid sector as the cheapest form of renewable heat available
- Solid biomass included as an eligible fuel in the RHO with no restriction on its use in fulfilling obligation requirements
- Address gaps in enforcement of the solid fuel regulations
Biochar and carbon products
- Recognition for biochar in Irish carbon farming removal frameworks and policy
- Enhanced research on uses for biochar
- Awareness of the role of biochar in addressing common challenges and reducing emissions in agriculture, biomaterials, construction and as a biofertilser and fuel
- Updates on the important work taking place in the IrBEA RD&D projects including Interreg North West Europe and Just Transition Fund.
Finan concluded: “IrBEA and its members are eager to meaningfully contribute to decarbonisation, emissions reductions, renewable energy targets and are ready to take the next steps and ensure biomass has a key role in Ireland’s energy future.”
Photo caption: Front row (left to right): Seán Finan IrBEA CEO, Minister Timmy Dooley TD Minister of State at DAFM and DCEE, Maurice Ryan, Green Belt & IrBEA President, Teresa O’Brien IrBEA. Back Row (left to right): Kimberley Harris IrBEA, Noel Gavigan IrBEA, Ken McCauley, McCauley Wood Fuels, Fergus Sharkey SEAI, Colm Hatton Balcas Energy, Brendan Connolly BnM, Kenneth Worrell, Worrell Timber Group