Webinar 40 – An update on the Midlands Bioenergy Development Project Supported by the National Just Transition Fund

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A live recording of webinar 40 is available here.

Topic Overview
The Midlands Bioenergy Development Project is supported by the National Just Transition Fund, covering the wider Midlands area of East Galway, North Tipperary, Kildare, Offaly, Laois, Roscommon, Longford, and Westmeath.

Pádraic Ó hUiginn, IrBEA’s lead on the project, outlined the project’s role and discussed developments to date, he reviewed the next phase of engagement and support for key stakeholders. Seán Finan, IrBEA CEO participated in the panel discussion and offered valuable insight on the sectors development in Ireland and the potential for future growth, with the right policy support.

The project has a focus on providing information, training and technical advice, guidance and mentoring to bioenergy business development and start-up enterprises.

The webinar was also an opportunity to launch the online form for expressions of interest from potential new bioenergy businesses and start-ups in the National Just Transition Fund’s wider Midlands region which is now open on the IrBEA website:
https://www.irbea.org/mbdp-2/ 

WEBINAR 39 – NNFCC’s 2023 Irish anaerobic digestion report explores current deployment ahead of expected biogas and biomethane market growth

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A live recording of webinar 39 is available here.

Topic Overview
In this webinar NNFCC’s discussed their report on Irish anaerobic digestion deployment and they looked ahead to the expected biogas and biomethane market growth potential. As strategic business consultants, NNFCC are monitoring the state and growth of the Irish AD market, and are well positioned to support new business opportunities and new entrants as activity ramps up. This webinar shared the current policy and market position and intended to set the baseline for the intended growth.

Speaker
Andrea Muñoz García
Senior Consultant Andrea has a PhD in Green and Sustainable Chemistry and she has a special interest in carbon capture. She carries out market and technology research and writes project proposals for a range of public and private sector clients. She is the NNFCC contact for the H2020 project Shikifactory100.

Webinar 38: The Danish biogas industry as a model for Ireland

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A live recording of webinar 38 is available here.
Topic Overview
Denmark has always been a leader in biogas development, having adopted and developed the basic technology ahead of most of Europe in the 1990’s. In the past 6 years biogas production has tripled – with the vast majority coming from agricultural biogas plants. Denmark is a country of similar size and agricultural practice to Ireland. In this webinar we introduce Bruno Sander Nielsen CEO of the Danish Biogas Association, who discussed what Ireland could learn from the successful development of a biogas industry in Denmark and the potential for implementing a similar model in Ireland.

Speaker
Bruno Sander Nielsen is employed at the Danish Agriculture and Food Council since 1990. He has worked for the Danish Biogas Association for 25 years where he is currently working as Chief Operations Officer. He is also Chief Advisor for the Danish Agriculture and Food Council (DAFC).

Webinar 37: Sustainable Aviation Fuel – The potential and opportunity for bioenergy

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A recording of this webinar can be found HERE.

Topic Overview

The work of SFS Ireland is focused on the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) markets in Ireland and worldwide. The organisation’s objective is to contribute to the reduction of the aviation sector’s CO2 footprint by bringing together the aviation industry, all stakeholders of the SAF supply chain, and academia to drive the production and implementation. SFS Ireland has recently been working on a feasibility study, together with SkyNRG, and supported by Avolon, Boeing and Orix Aviation. More details can be found here. SAF manufacturing technology is considered cutting edge and initial analysis indicates that a SAF project would play a leading role in integrating the energy industry, with a possible future circular bioeconomy for Ireland. Listen to this webinar and find out more about Sustainable Aviation Fuel and the potential opportunities for Irish bioenergy.

Speaker
Agnes Thornton
Agnes Thornton has been working as an airline pilot for the last 10 years. During the reduced rosters in light of the Covid pandemic, Agnes completed an MSc in Aviation Leadership at DCU Business School, with her research focusing on the opportunities and barriers to SAF implementation by the airline industry. In 2020, she partnered with Darren Carty to found SFS Ireland.

Webinar MC – Seán Finan, IBEA CEO

Webinar 36 – The new Irish Solid Fuel Regulations explained

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A recording of this webinar can be found HERE.

Topic Overview

On 31st of October 2022, the Government  introduced new regulations for solid fuels in Ireland. Designed to protect air quality, these regulations will ensure that quality, dry, certified wood fuels are placed on the market. IrBEA, on behalf of wood fuel members, has been seeking the introduction of these regulations for several years to protect the market from inferior quality and wet wood fuel products. The introduction of the new solid fuel regulations has implications for the sale and supply of solid fuels for producers and consumers, these implications are outlined in this webinar.

 

Webinar MC – Seán Finan, IBEA CEO

Presenter – Noel Gavigan, IrBEA Technical Executive

Webinar 35: Highlights from the National Bioenergy Conference – conversations & next steps

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A recording of this webinar can be found HERE.

Topic Overview

The National Bioenergy Conference titled “Sustainable bioenergy for business – reducing costs, carbon and supply risks” took place on Tuesday 11th October 2022 in the Lyrath Estate / Kilkenny convention centre. The headline sponsor for this event was Bord na Móna with associate sponsors Ethanol Europe, South East Energy Agency, Gas Networks Ireland and GLAS Energy. This webinar will focus on the inputs, insights, and conclusions from the conference. If you are interested in hearing more about what was discussed, join us to find out more and where we go from here.

Webinar MC – Pádraic Ó hUiginn IrBEA Executive
Panelist –  Noel Gavigan IrBEA, Technical Executive & Stephen McCormack, IrBEA Executive

Webinar 34 – Bioenergy: Launching IrBEA’s Factsheet Series

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A recording of this webinar can be found HERE.

Topic Overview
Over the last few months, the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) has worked on developing a series of factsheets covering the main bioenergy sectors. The first six factsheets were presented on this webinar by the Executive team and can be viewed on the IrBEA website HERE.

The titles include:

  • Bioenergy – An Overview
  • Wood and Solid Biomass Fuels
  • Biogas
  • Biofuels
  • Biochar
  • Energy Crops

The aim of the factsheet series is to provide information to a wide range of stakeholders on the various forms and aspects of bioenergy. While other renewable energies are easier for the public to comprehend (e.g., wind or solar), bioenergy is made up of a wide range of technologies and fuels and can be utilised to provide heat, electricity, and transport fuels.

The IrBEA executive team present the factsheets and ongoing work of the association in each of the sectors covered. This is particularly relevant in the current crisis of high fossil energy prices, security of energy supply, urgent need for decarbonisation and climate action. The Irish bioenergy sector is unique in that it can provide an indigenous energy solution to all the current challenges. Bioenergy can produce continuous, storable, and dispatchable renewable energy delivered through local supply chains, offering employment opportunities and economic activity.

 

WEBINAR 33: Bioenergy – The Swedish experience to becoming the largest energy source

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The live recording of the webinar can be viewed HERE

This webinar gives valuable insights from Kjell Anderson from the Swedish Bioenergy Association. Bioenergy is the leading energy source in Sweden today. The Swedish energy system has gone through a major transformation. In the 1970s oil was totally dominating. Today, oil is almost entirely a transport fuel, whereas bioenergy has taken over in district heating, and plays a major role in industry and in electricity production. The use of bioenergy in Sweden has increased from 40 TWh/year in the 1970s to around 140 TWh today. In 2009, bioenergy surpassed oil as the leading energy source for the Swedish energy consumption. The same year, the total use of bioenergy was more than the use of electricity from hydropower and nuclear power together.

WEBINAR 32: The Agrobioheat Project and the role of agro biomass in renewable heat

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Live recording of the webinar can be viewed HERE

Topic Overview
AgroBioHeat aims to stimulate a mass deployment of improved and market ready agrobiomass heating solutions in Europe. Agrobiomass is a large, underexploited and indigenous resource, which can support the achievement of European Energy and Climate targets, while promoting rural development and circular economy. In this webinar, Manolis Karampinis as one of the partners in this project shares his expertise and knowledge of this area. In this webinar he outlines recommendations to policy makers at local, regional and national level to understand and set the instruments that will overcome the barriers for the advancement of the agrobiomass heating sector.

Webinar 31: Ireland’s Forest Resource and it’s Potential to 2040 and launch of IrBEA’s Wood Fuel Animation

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A live recording of this webinar can be found HERE

View the Irish Bioenergy Association new WFQA Animation HERE

Topic Overview

This webinar opened with the launch of IrBEA’s Wood Fuel Quality Assurance animation detailing the sustainable role of wood fuels in forest management. We were joined by Fergus Moore, from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) who discussed the five central pillars outlined in the Consultation ‘Working Towards Ireland’s Shared Vision for Forestry and a New Forest Strategy’. It included a discussion on the best use of this resource which provides 4 million tonnes per annum today, and is expected to reach 8 million tonnes of sustainable wood material for construction and energy. Our forest resource also provides a multitude of public benefits such as climate mitigation, biodiversity, public amenity and rural development which was also discussed as part of this webinar.