PRESS RELEASE: IrBEA’s Midlands Bioenergy Development Project welcomes new Project Executive
Immediate Release: 15th March 2022
The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) is pleased to announce its appointment of Pádraic Ó hUiginn as Project Executive for its Midlands Bioenergy Development Project.
Seán Finan IrBEA CEO said “On behalf of IrBEA, I’m delighted to welcome Pádraic Ó hUiginn to the association. I wish him the best of luck and every success in his new role. Pádraic brings a wealth of bioeconomy innovation experience. We look forward to working with him at this critical time, as Ireland grapples with the rising costs of fossil fuels, energy security, and the transition to renewables.”
Pádraic Ó hUiginn holds qualifications in economics, regulation, communications, project management and sustainability. He brings a broad range of experience and knowledge to IrBEA and joins at a pivotal time for the renewable energy sector. Pádraic will drive the implementation of the recently commenced Midlands Bioenergy Development Project. Supported by the National Just Transition Fund, this project will provide start-up enterprises in the Midlands region with non-financial support, knowledge, guidance and mentoring to establish successful bioenergy businesses. These businesses will help the Just Transition in the Midlands by providing quality green employment opportunities for a transitioning workforce. Pádraic will also be involved in other projects and work programmes within the association.
Prior to joining IrBEA, he worked for a number of years with tcbb RESOURCE and the Ryan Institute for sustainability and innovation. During that time Pádraic worked on the Causeway project, that introduced the first biomethane into the national gas grid; and Bio-Éire, that informed Ireland’s first National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy. He has a depth of experience supporting start-ups through BioBase4SME and the EU Regio Star Award-winning Bio Base North-West Europe, and the ReNEW Network, the first circular economy network on the island of Ireland. Pádraic also initiated and developed an EPA-funded research project that analysed the level of joined-up environmental policy in Ireland, sought out examples of best practice, and produced a ‘trip adviser’ guide of ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ for policy-makers and decision-makers.
Pádraic Ó hUiginn said “I am delighted to join the team here at IrBEA. I see in any successful association, that the momentum comes from its members, with the executive staff implementing and coordinating the strategic direction set out by the members and board. IrBEA has a challenging role to promote the entire bioenergy sector, across biomass, biogas, biofuels, biochar, energy crops and wood-fuels. The Midlands Bioenergy Development Project is aimed at supporting a region that has a wealth of energy production know-how across a range of skills. Bioenergy is inherently cross-cutting in that it can support joined-up answers to problems in energy security, job creation, farming, transport, and protecting soil, habitats, air and water.”
Pádraic Ó hUiginn continued “The Climate Action Plan 2021 shows that Government and our public bodies have begun to recognise that to move away from fossil fuels requires a mix of renewables: to meet the different challenges in electricity, heat, and transport. The Midlands Bioenergy Development Project is an excellent initiative to support this transition in a region stretching from East Galway to Kildare, and from Longford and Roscommon to North Tipperary –it can be a leading example for others to follow.”
Ends
For further information please contact Seán Finan IrBEA CEO on 0874146480
About the Midlands Bioenergy Development Project:
The National Just Transition Fund
The National Just Transition Fund (JTF) is a key pillar of the Government’s plan for the Midlands region. A fund was made available in 2020 to support communities transitioning to a low-carbon economy. The focus is on retraining workers and generating sustainable employment in green enterprise across the region. The objective of the JTF is to facilitate innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the Wider Midlands region (including East Galway, Kildare, Laois, Longford, North Tipperary, Offaly, Roscommon, and Westmeath) and have significant employment and enterprise potential. The JTF supports projects that take a whole-of-Midlands strategic approach and complement other sources of public funding.
The Midlands Bioenergy Development Programme
The Midlands Bioenergy Development Programme will provide start-up enterprises in the Midlands region with non-financial support, knowledge, guidance and mentoring to establish successful bioenergy businesses. These businesses will help the Just Transition in the Midlands by providing quality green employment opportunities for a transitioning workforce. The businesses will process indigenous feedstock (grass, wood, energy crops) to produce bioenergy (firewood, wood pellets, biogas, biochar, biooils etc) which will off-set existing fossil fuel usage. The feedstock which will be grown and sourced in the Midlands will stimulate the local rural economy and provide opportunities for primary producers also. This project will deliver a bioenergy knowledge transfer programme in the region on the various bioenergy sector opportunities in biomass production, biogas production, wood fuel and energy crop processing and production and biochar production and usage. This project will link producer, processing business, energy users and investors. The SMEs supported by the project through a mentoring programme will promote economic growth and rural development in the Midlands region. Mentoring and technical advice will be provided by the project team to develop 12 start-up enterprises in the Bioenergy sector in the midlands. This will be the main deliverable of the project
Midlands Bioenergy Development Project in-person launch in Moate
/in All News, Featured, Press Releases /by demoirbea2015Tuar Ard Arts and Enterprise Centre, Moate, Co Westmeath was the venue for the in-person launch of the Midlands Bioenergy Development Project on 22nd June 2022. The Midlands Bioenergy Development Project is co-ordinated by the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) and co-funded by the National Just Transition Fund for the Midlands region. Minister for Land-use and Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett officiated at the launch and gave the keynote address on behalf of the government. Just Transition Commissioner, Mr Kieran Mulvey, spoke about what the Just Transition seeks to deliver for the region. More localised events will take place around the Midlands in the autumn so that the project can engage directly with potential bioenergy start-up enterprises that could benefit from knowledge transfer, training and mentoring from the project.
From left: Mr Tom Shanahan, Offaly Co Co; Ms Sarah Morgan, Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan; Kieran Mulvey, Just Transition Commissioner; Minister for Land-use and Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett; Mr Paddy Phelan, President, IrBEA; Mr Pádraic Ó hUiginn, Project Executive, Midlands Bioenergy Development Plan, IrBEA; Mr Seán Finan, CEO, IrBEA; Mr Pat Gallagher, CEO, Westmeath Co Co; Noel Gavigan, Technical Executive, IrBEA; and Dr Isabella Donnelly, Regional Coordinator and Westmeath County Mentor, SEAI Sustainable Energy Communities.
WEBINAR 33: Bioenergy – The Swedish experience to becoming the largest energy source
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015The 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
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015Live 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.
Launch of New Wood Fuel Quality Assurance animation
/in All News, Featured /by demoirbea2015This week we see the launch of the Wood Fuel Quality Assurance animation on the sustainability role of wood fuels in forest management. The focus of this three minute animation is the healthy, working forests providing timber, thinnings for wood fuel, carbon sinks, habitats, public amenity & enterprise for Irish communities. We are excited to promote a positive message on Irish forestry and spread the work about the Wood Fuel Quality Assurance Scheme. Please take 3 minutes to watch this new animation. It can also be view and shared in YouTube HERE
Webinar 31: Ireland’s Forest Resource and it’s Potential to 2040 and launch of IrBEA’s Wood Fuel Animation
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015A 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.
Press Release: IrBEA welcomes new Midlands Bioenergy Development Project Executive
/in All News, Press Releases /by demoirbea2015PRESS RELEASE: IrBEA’s Midlands Bioenergy Development Project welcomes new Project Executive
Immediate Release: 15th March 2022
The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) is pleased to announce its appointment of Pádraic Ó hUiginn as Project Executive for its Midlands Bioenergy Development Project.
Seán Finan IrBEA CEO said “On behalf of IrBEA, I’m delighted to welcome Pádraic Ó hUiginn to the association. I wish him the best of luck and every success in his new role. Pádraic brings a wealth of bioeconomy innovation experience. We look forward to working with him at this critical time, as Ireland grapples with the rising costs of fossil fuels, energy security, and the transition to renewables.”
Pádraic Ó hUiginn holds qualifications in economics, regulation, communications, project management and sustainability. He brings a broad range of experience and knowledge to IrBEA and joins at a pivotal time for the renewable energy sector. Pádraic will drive the implementation of the recently commenced Midlands Bioenergy Development Project. Supported by the National Just Transition Fund, this project will provide start-up enterprises in the Midlands region with non-financial support, knowledge, guidance and mentoring to establish successful bioenergy businesses. These businesses will help the Just Transition in the Midlands by providing quality green employment opportunities for a transitioning workforce. Pádraic will also be involved in other projects and work programmes within the association.
Prior to joining IrBEA, he worked for a number of years with tcbb RESOURCE and the Ryan Institute for sustainability and innovation. During that time Pádraic worked on the Causeway project, that introduced the first biomethane into the national gas grid; and Bio-Éire, that informed Ireland’s first National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy. He has a depth of experience supporting start-ups through BioBase4SME and the EU Regio Star Award-winning Bio Base North-West Europe, and the ReNEW Network, the first circular economy network on the island of Ireland. Pádraic also initiated and developed an EPA-funded research project that analysed the level of joined-up environmental policy in Ireland, sought out examples of best practice, and produced a ‘trip adviser’ guide of ‘Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ for policy-makers and decision-makers.
Pádraic Ó hUiginn said “I am delighted to join the team here at IrBEA. I see in any successful association, that the momentum comes from its members, with the executive staff implementing and coordinating the strategic direction set out by the members and board. IrBEA has a challenging role to promote the entire bioenergy sector, across biomass, biogas, biofuels, biochar, energy crops and wood-fuels. The Midlands Bioenergy Development Project is aimed at supporting a region that has a wealth of energy production know-how across a range of skills. Bioenergy is inherently cross-cutting in that it can support joined-up answers to problems in energy security, job creation, farming, transport, and protecting soil, habitats, air and water.”
Pádraic Ó hUiginn continued “The Climate Action Plan 2021 shows that Government and our public bodies have begun to recognise that to move away from fossil fuels requires a mix of renewables: to meet the different challenges in electricity, heat, and transport. The Midlands Bioenergy Development Project is an excellent initiative to support this transition in a region stretching from East Galway to Kildare, and from Longford and Roscommon to North Tipperary –it can be a leading example for others to follow.”
Ends
For further information please contact Seán Finan IrBEA CEO on 0874146480
About the Midlands Bioenergy Development Project:
The National Just Transition Fund
The National Just Transition Fund (JTF) is a key pillar of the Government’s plan for the Midlands region. A fund was made available in 2020 to support communities transitioning to a low-carbon economy. The focus is on retraining workers and generating sustainable employment in green enterprise across the region. The objective of the JTF is to facilitate innovative projects that contribute to the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the Wider Midlands region (including East Galway, Kildare, Laois, Longford, North Tipperary, Offaly, Roscommon, and Westmeath) and have significant employment and enterprise potential. The JTF supports projects that take a whole-of-Midlands strategic approach and complement other sources of public funding.
The Midlands Bioenergy Development Programme
The Midlands Bioenergy Development Programme will provide start-up enterprises in the Midlands region with non-financial support, knowledge, guidance and mentoring to establish successful bioenergy businesses. These businesses will help the Just Transition in the Midlands by providing quality green employment opportunities for a transitioning workforce. The businesses will process indigenous feedstock (grass, wood, energy crops) to produce bioenergy (firewood, wood pellets, biogas, biochar, biooils etc) which will off-set existing fossil fuel usage. The feedstock which will be grown and sourced in the Midlands will stimulate the local rural economy and provide opportunities for primary producers also. This project will deliver a bioenergy knowledge transfer programme in the region on the various bioenergy sector opportunities in biomass production, biogas production, wood fuel and energy crop processing and production and biochar production and usage. This project will link producer, processing business, energy users and investors. The SMEs supported by the project through a mentoring programme will promote economic growth and rural development in the Midlands region. Mentoring and technical advice will be provided by the project team to develop 12 start-up enterprises in the Bioenergy sector in the midlands. This will be the main deliverable of the project
WEBINAR 30: MyGug Micro Scale Anaerobic Digester – A food waste solution providing renewable gas to small businesses & households
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015A recording of this webinar can be found HERE
Topic Overview
Kieran Coffey is a mechanical engineer and has been involved in the design of water and wastewater treatment plants for over 25 years. More recently, Kieran with his team have been involved in designing and installing a micro scale anaerobic digester solution. At this webinar, Kieran presented his innovative MyGug design. MyGug is a food waste treatment system that fully integrates into a households and small food business settings. It will provide a fossil fuel free solution to disposing of food waste. It turns food waste into renewable energy and the only by-product being a biofertilizer for use in your garden.
Webinar 29: Energy Supply Contracts delivering decarbonised biomass heating without the capex
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015A live recording of this webinar can be found HERE
TOPIC OVERVIEW
Woodco an Irish manufacturer of biomass boilers has been deploying biomass heating systems under ESCO’s (Energy Supply Contracts) to clients in the healthcare, leisure and hospitality sectors. There are many models of ESCO contracts which exist. Woodco offers businesses the opportunity to decarbonise and lower their heating bills without any capital expenditure. This is a model whereby the heat user pays for the heat it uses over a contracted period of time. The ESCO guarantees to provide energy savings annually compared to the displaced fossil fuel alternative. View this webinar recording find out more.
Ger Crosse
Woodco Commercial Director
WEBINAR 28: Celignis Analytical – The Role of Analytics in maximizing bioenergy feedstock potential
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015A recording of this webinar can be found HERE.
TOPIC OVERVIEW
In this webinar we heard from Dan Hayes who is CEO and Founder of Celignis Analytical, an Irish company at the forefront of biomass analytics. Ireland has an abundance of sustainable bioenergy feedstocks for the generation of solid, liquid and gaseous renewable fuels. These different feedstocks have varying potential, depending on use and composition.
This webinar is a useful to anyone developing a business in the biomass, biogas, biofuel or biochar sector, as well as in the emerging bioeconomy space. Participants will extend their knowledge and understanding of the important role that analytics and accurate data can play in the development of sources of bioenergy and new products and services.
SPEAKER
Dan Hayes
Dan Hayes has extensive experience in the analysis of biomass and in the evaluation and development of biomass conversion technologies (particularly those for the production of advanced biofuels).
He received his PhD from the University of Limerick in 2012 and played an important role in the development of the Carbolea Biomass Research Group of the university. Daniel Hayes has been successful in securing project funding for the group from industrial, national, and European sources.
WEBINAR 27: Balcas Energy – Delivering decarbonised heat, hot water and process steam through wood pellet biomass.
/in IrBEA Bioenergy Webinar Series 2020 /by demoirbea2015A live recording of the webinar can be found HERE
TOPIC OVERVIEW
This webinar showcased the contribution of Balcas Energy to the decarbonisation of heat and process steam. Wood pellets offer substantial opportunity to decarbonise the heating of commercial operations and domestic homes. Balcas Energy manufactures wood pellets utilising heat and electricity generated from their own onsite biomass CHP unit. At this webinar, we were joined by representatives of Balcas Energy who showcased their business and contribution to the sector.
SPEAKER
Colm Hatton
Balcas, Business Development Manager
Paula Keelagher
Balcas, Marketing Development Manager
Seán Finan
IrBEA CEO, MC/Chair