PRESS RELEASE: IrBEA launches National Biochar and Carbon Products conference

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For immediate release

The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) is delighted to launch its upcoming National Biochar and Carbon Products conference, which will take place on Wednesday 3rd of May in the Landmark Hotel , Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Leitrim. IrBEA, as the national representative body for the biochar and carbon products sector, seeks to raise the profile of these sectors here in Ireland. Biochar is a stable form of charcoal, produced from a wide variety of biomass streams using pyrolysis (heating without oxygen) technology. It is increasingly recognised for the important role it can play in environmental or agricultural applications.

IrBEA project executive Stephen McCormack, said: “ we look forward to welcoming delegates to this conference and we are delighted that Leitrim County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Ita Reynolds Flynn could  join us for the launch photograph. This event will bring together farmers,  foresters, biochar producers, users and practitioners from around Ireland and Europe to discuss the potential of biochar and the development of carbon products and their role in a modern world.”

Speakers at the conference will be covering the topics of carbon farming and the potential for biochar, use of biochar within construction materials, biochar’s role within water quality ,its role within our farming community and the benefit it can have a soil or slurry amendment,  and also its role as a growing media within the horticultural sector. The event  will be sponsored by Arigna Fuels and Celignis Analytical , two key players within the sector in Ireland.

Brendan Layden, Managing Director of Arigna Fuels said: “Arigna Fuels produce both high quality biochar and Harvest Flame, a 100% renewable biomass product aimed at the home heating market. We are delighted to sponsor this National Biochar and Carbon products conference, here in the North West- as early innovators in the sector , it is great to see the interest around this grow and we look forward to welcoming attendees on the day.”

Danial Hayes , of Celignis Analytical  said “We here at Celignis have seen the emergence of this sector grow over the past few years, leading to us developing a suite of testing packages capable of serving the needs of Irish companies. By providing access to quality data and analysis as well as research, we hope to support the sector as it develops further.

Biochar and renewable carbon based products have seen a surge in growth globally in the last decade. But many people are still unaware of exactly what it is, the role it can play in carbon sequestration, how it is being used for environmental or agricultural applications or even its role in adding value to residual biomass or for the provision of bioenergy. IrBEA have been involved in a series of Interreg NWE funded projects (THREE C- Creating the circular carbon economy) exploring these topics and it is through this work we hope to continue to raise awareness and shine a light on the many potential benefits this emerging sector can offer.

Seán Finan, CEO of IrBEA concluded” We look forward to welcoming our European colleagues to Ireland , who we have worked closely with over a number of years through our involvement in the EU funded Interreg NWE programme. The conference delegates will hear from a European political perspective, with  Midlands North West Colm Markey MEP providing an insight into the current policy discussions in the European Parliament on carbon farming and the potential opportunity for Irish farmers and business.”

Further information regarding the conference please visit  www.irbea.org

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National Biochar and Carbon Products Conference 2023

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The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) is delighted to announce details of the National Biochar and Carbon Products Conference 2023. We delighted to announce that Celignis and Arigna Fuels are main sponsors of this event, we are grateful for their support and look forward to their presentation on the day.

This event will bring together experts, innovators, and entrepreneurs from around Ireland and Europe to discuss the potential of biochar and the development of carbon products and their role in a greener and healthier future.

Biochar is a stable form of charcoal, produced from a wide variety of biomass streams using pyrolysis technology. It is increasingly recognised for the important role it can play in environmental or agricultural applications, to be utilised as an effective carbon sequestration method and in its ability to decarbonise heating requirements.

There is an ever growing list of uses for biochar, many of which are only just being developed in the last few years. At this conference, you will have the opportunity to learn more about some of the latest developments and the positive contribution biochar production can have in many areas of society.

We invite stakeholders including policy makers, local and national government officials and elected representatives, stakeholders from the water, wastewater, agricultural and horticultural sectors, as well SMEs, research and academic institutes and interested individuals to attend and to contribute to the discussions on the day. This conference aims to build understanding and knowledge, provide information, raise awareness, and help showcase the potential for biochar and carbon products in Ireland.

This conference is being organised under the auspices of the Interreg Northwest Europe funded THREE C Project – Creating and sustaining Charcoal value chains to promote a Circular  Carbon economy in NWE Europe. The conference will highlight both Irish stakeholders who are currently working in the biochar and carbon products sector, but also partners from the THREE C project who have interesting stories and products to share. The THREE C partners from the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, France and Wales will be participating and will share their research, knowledge and biochar journeys so far. We look forward to welcoming you to this event.

AGENDA

REGISTRATION

This event is free but you must register your attendance below. Further information is available from: Stephen McCormack Email: stephenmccormack@irbea.org

PRESS RELEASE: IrBEA welcomes provision for Irish-produced biofuels in newly signed transport regulations.

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For Immediate Release:

The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) welcomes the inclusion of additional renewable certificates for biodiesel produced from category one tallow in the renewable transport fuel regulations 2023. Initially,  the Department of Transport’s draft regulation gave an enhanced multiplier to Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) over Irish-produced biodiesel. This had the potential to wipe out indigenous biofuel production in favour of imported HVO. If implemented, this would have been detrimental to Irish biofuels producers, placing them at a distinct disadvantage over imported biofuels. It would also have had significant adverse impacts on the rendering and animal processing sectors, who depend on biodiesel production as a circular economy outlet for their tallows and fats.

IrBEA CEO Seán Finan said “We are happy that the direct interventions of IrBEA, with and on behalf of our members, has resulted in the inclusion of biodiesel produced from category one tallow in the newly signed transport regulations. Direct jobs in the biofuel businesses impacted and indirect jobs in the broader supply chain were in jeopardy if the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan T.D. had not included biodiesel produced from category one tallow in the regulation.”

Finan continued “Irish biodiesel producers use animal fats (tallow) from the meat processing sector and used cooking oil (UCO) to produce biodiesel. This sustainable biofuel production and its viability was threatened if HVO received the additional renewable energy certificate and Irish produced biodiesel did not. We would like to acknowledge and thank Minister Ryan and his officials for listening to our concerns and including indigenous biodiesel production from category one tallow in the newly signed regulations.”

The National Oil Reserves Agency Act (additional certificates for renewable transport fuel) Regulation 2023 also contains provision for additional renewable fuel certificates for biomethane and mandates the inclusion of a minimum percentage volume of ethanol in petrol.

Finan concluded “For many years, IrBEA with our members, have campaigned for an increased ethanol blending mandate in petrol (E10). The introduction of E10 will result in an immediate reduction in transport carbon emissions. This cumulative emissions reduction per year is equivalent to taking tens of thousands of cars off the road. The additional certificates for biomethane are another step forward for the deployment of biomethane in the transport sector and the development of a mainstream Irish biomethane sector. We strongly encourage the Government to actively promote the development of the indigenous biofuels production sector and recognise it sufficiently in policy. Indigenous biofuel production is the sleeping giant of transport decarbonisation while simultaneously boosting Irish industry”.

ENDS

For Further Information Contact: Seán Finan IrBEA CEO on 087 4146480

New transport fuel rules will close the Irish biofuels sector and threatens meat processors and farmers – IrBEA

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For Immediate Release:

28th March 2023

New rules due to be signed this week by Minister Ryan will close down the Irish biofuels sector in favour of imported Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and threaten the Irish meat processing sector and farmers. Irish fuel suppliers have been required to blend in a proportion of biofuel into all road transport fuels since 2010. However, new rules due to be introduced by the Minister will put Irish biofuels producers at a distinct disadvantage over imported biofuels. The Minister’s proposal will give an enhanced multiplier to HVO over Irish-produced biodiesel with the potential to wipe out indigenous biofuel production in favour of imported HVO.

The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) CEO Seán Finan said “Irish biodiesel producers use animal fats (tallow) from the meat processing sector and used cooking oil (UCO) to produce biodiesel. This sustainable biofuel production and its viability is threatened with the new proposals.  This will collapse Irish biofuel production at the stroke of a pen. The market for Irish tallow will disappear overnight. This will cause interruptions to the rendering and meat processing sectors. This disruptive change will impact their ability to process fallen animals, specified risk materials and fats.”

Finan continued “Over the last decade the vast majority of renewable transport diesel fuel has come from this sector. In 2020, Biofuel blending in Ireland avoided approximately 520,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions”.

The stark impacts of this proposal are:

  • Multipliers given to HVO will automatically severely and negatively impact Irish biodiesel production facilities.
  • Loss of indigenous production undermines security of supply of locally-produced biodiesel.
  • Loss of direct jobs in rural Ireland and hundreds of jobs in the supply chain.
  • Biofuel producers would close in the short-term.
  • Loss of an Irish industry in favour of imports.
  • Loss of the green circular bioeconomy opportunity which has been created by Irish biofuel producers over 15 years.
  • In the medium term, there is no mechanism for export of Category 1 tallow which would cause an immediate impact on all meat processors and impact fallen animal collectors, resulting in disruption to farmers.
  • It puts the emerging biomethane sector at risk.

Finan concluded “Biofuel producers have already reported demand dissipation for Irish biodiesel and biomethane and a fall in market prices, accelerated by anticipation of the implementation of the regulation. IrBEA appeals to Minister Ryan not to proceed with the signing of the regulation. Why would the government give an extra multiplier to imported HVO which would be detrimental, give unfair advantage and discriminate against Irish biodiesel production which promotes the Irish green circular bioeconomy and puts the development of an emerging biomethane sector at risk? If the new regulation is implemented, Ireland would be the first in Europe to discriminate against biodiesel in favour of imported fuels and would have massive negative repercussions for Ireland’s biofuels producers. How can Minister Ryan stand over the destruction of a sustainable and indigenous biofuel industry and is he fully aware of the implications of signing the regulations?”

 

ENDS

For Further Information Contact: Seán Finan IrBEA CEO on 087 4146480

Notes to Editors:

The draft regulation can be found here. https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/249274/051f6db2-7f7c-4306-a948-ba49a57ca623.pdf#page=null