Ireland currently lags behind many of its European counterparts with regards to support for a home grown energy industry. IrBEA members strongly believe that building a bioenergy industry in Ireland will provide real and long term economic growth - not only providing employment, but reducing Irelands costs of importing fossil energy (approx €6.5 Billion a year). The offer price for electricity from biomass of up to 15c/kWh, is close to that offered in other countries such as the UK (17c/kWh), Italy (22-28c/kWh) and Germany (6c-30c/kWh, depending on feedstock). At the levels announced we expect industry development to proceed in Ireland. We are still assessing the exact impact of the announcement and note that many farm-scale systems will not be viable at this level.

IrBEA and its members have made numerous representations to the Minister and continue to work closely with DCENR on bioenergy policy development. We are heartened to see this improved support to the industry. With a guaranteed index-linked prices now available for 15 years, biomass energy plants such as anaerobic digesters and wood-fired heat and power generation (CHP) systems are assured of an income stream and can have greater access to bank finance. This will also promote the replacement of peat in a number of our power plants with sustainable biomass.

For further information please contact:

Noel Gavigan IrBEA Spokesperson on Anaerobic Digestion

Tom Bruton IrBEA President 

Details on refit at: http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/