Renewable heat incentive – needed now more than ever

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Delayed Government policy is halting heat market development and job creation. IrBEA is lobbying for more urgent action from Government. Read IrBEA blog

Update on Energy Crops Support

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Eugene Hendrick (Department of Agriculture) Chairs a Working Group on biomass supply, and addressed the meeting Stakeholder Meeting with DCENR 24 Nov 2015. He reported that the bioenergy scheme, which has funded energy crops for several years, is currently closed pending a review in early 2016. A new forest-fibre scheme is also being assessed, which is looking at further unlocking of resources, and also possibly short rotation forestry (SRF).

Clarification Notice – applications under the REFIT Schemes.

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While the closing date for REFIT schemes remains as 4pm on 31 December 2015, in response to a number of queries regarding the status of REFIT applications but which do not include a copy of full planning permission and/or a grid connection offer or agreement, DCENR has issued a clarification. See details.

Keen interest at workshop on small scale AD – Presentations available

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Interest is very keen in Ireland about green energy possibilities from anaerobic digestion for farmers and food processors. This was a clear conclusion from the joint IrBEA-Origin Green (Bord Bia) workshop held in Kilkenny on 21 May which was especially targeted at larger farmers and small food manufacturers with high energy demand and producing sizeable amounts of animal and food waste. Read more

Report on IrBEA Biogas tour to the UK

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Sixteen people travelled from Ireland on the UK study tour at the end of June organised by IrBEA, including dairy farmers, contractors, food processors, biogas plant builders and others. Day two of the tour was at the UK ADBA (Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association) Trade Show, the big annual flagship event in the UK for biogas. Read more

Press Release – IrBEA Response To Energy White Paper Launch

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The Irish Bioenergy Association welcomes the publication of the Energy White Paper by Minister Alex White

As a strategy it is an ambitious plan to achieve important targets for renewable energy.
The weakness in the plan is the ability to convert this ambition into action. For example, a renewable heat incentive was promised since May 2014, and at the earliest this will commence at end of 2016. This long roll-out has resulted in market stagnation.
The report accurately points out that Bioenergy has the potential to create 5000 jobs as well as reducing our carbon emissions, however these benefits can not be fully realised unless the proposed policy measures are promptly implemented.
The transition to sustainable energy sources is a massive undertaking. We are calling on the Minister to follow today’s launch by:

1. Bolstering his department with the necessary resources to undertake this challenge.
2. Fastracking proposed support schemes for renewable heat and electricity.
For further information contact
Michael Hegarty 087-0556630
IrBEA General Manager

Weekly Noticeboard 12/12/15

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1. Clarification Notice – applications under the REFIT Schemes.
While the closing date for REFIT schemes remains as 4pm on 31 December 2015, in response to a number of queries regarding the status of REFIT applications but which do not include a copy of full planning permission and/or a grid connection offer or agreement, DCENR has issued a clarification. See details. Read more

Weekly Noticeboard 05/12/15

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1. Summary notes of Bioenergy Plan Stakeholder Meeting with DCENR 24 Nov 2015.
About 40 industry stakeholders, including many IrBEA members, attended a stakeholder consultation session on the drafting of the Bioenergy Plan. The meeting was chaired by Brian Carroll, Principal Officer, DCENR. Joining him at the top table were Cathy O’Connor (DCENR), Frank Groome (DCENR/Eirgrid) and Eugene Hendrick (DAFM). Read more

Weekly Noticeboard 30/11/15

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1. Complimentary Tickets to the Irish National Sustainability Summit – 3 Nov.

IrBEA members are offered complimentary delegate passes to the National Sustainability Summit on the 3rd November in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. You simply need to register online for a delegate badge. In essence The National Sustainability Summit consists of 9 events in one, bringing together over 2000 key stakeholders and over 75 speakers from sectors such as construction/building, manufacturing, food & agriculture, healthcare, IT, transport, renewable energy, tourism, finance, water, environment, retail, hospitality, logistics, supply chain etc. that have been instrumental in creating a more sustainable Ireland.
Read more