CER Review of Connection and Grid Access Policy. As per the Weekly Noticeboard 16th January, the CER has published a Consultation Paper on theReview of Connection and Grid Access Policy. It initiates a review of existing connection policy and requests views on the CER’s proposals for the enduring connection policy regime which will be developed over the course of 2016 and on proposals for transitional arrangements to be decided upon in early 2016. IrBEA has asked Tom Bruton/BioXL to lead and coordinate the work on the written consultation process.
* Draft document prepared for member circulation by 20th January – here.
IrBEA is agreeing that the system is no longer fit for purpose and is making a number of significant recommendations, the most substantial being to recommend a threshold for processing small-scale bioenergy projects of 1 MW or less outside of the GPA. It includes an executive summary which should make it easier to respond. Please provide any feedback from IrBEA members directly to Tom at tom.bruton@bioxl.ie strictly on or before 26th January.
Energy Efficiency Grants
/in Press ReleasesIn response to Minister for Energy Alex White’s announcement today 10 March “Major Increase in Grants to Householders for Energy Efficiency”
The Irish BioEnergy Association (IrBEA) notes the Minister has announced increases to energy efficiency grants for householders, effective immediately. IrBEA broadly welcomes this measure, but we do not support the decision to continue to grant aid oil and gas boilers while not grant aiding boilers that run on renewable biomass fuels. Read more
IrBEA Newsletter – June 2015
/in NewslettersHere is the link to our newsletter June 2015
Grandfathering Announcement Urgently Needed For Renewable Heat Incentive
/in Press ReleasesThe Government plans to introduce a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) in 2016 to stimulate change from fossil fuels to renewable sources for commercial and industrial heat production. An unintended consequence of that announcement last October (in draft Bioenergy Plan) is that the market has now ground to a complete halt due to the uncertainty created. Read more
Response to Consultation on Gas Networks Ireland Policy Review/1007
/in SubmissionsIrBEA has provided a submission in response to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) consultation on Gas Networks Ireland Policy Review/1007. Overall our members view the proposed changes as beneficial. Our main concern is whether they go far enough to make grid connection options sufficiently attractive commercially – therefore we have recommended generally that the proposed parameters be relaxed to favour stimulating projects in the early development of this area. See submission here
IrBEA Newsletter – April 2015
/in NewslettersHere is the link to our newsletter April 2015
IrBEA Newsletter – March 2015
/in NewslettersHere is the link to our newsletter March 2015
2015 IrBEA Bioenergy Conference – View Presentations 3/02/20
/in Presentations1. J.Balian_Ofgem & RHI final
2. M.Foley Coillte RHI perspective final
3. Ivan Codd ESB Networks REFIT & grid final
4. C.O’Carroll Poyry Biomass markets drivers final
5. J.O’Connor PWC Investor perspective final
6. T.O’Leary IFA_Bioenergy Plan & action final
7. G.Rogstrand Swedish experience final
8. C.Zammit WIS farm AD final
DRAFT IrBEA Submission To CER On Future Of Grid Connection Policy
/in All NewsCER Review of Connection and Grid Access Policy. As per the Weekly Noticeboard 16th January, the CER has published a Consultation Paper on theReview of Connection and Grid Access Policy. It initiates a review of existing connection policy and requests views on the CER’s proposals for the enduring connection policy regime which will be developed over the course of 2016 and on proposals for transitional arrangements to be decided upon in early 2016. IrBEA has asked Tom Bruton/BioXL to lead and coordinate the work on the written consultation process.
* Draft document prepared for member circulation by 20th January – here.
IrBEA is agreeing that the system is no longer fit for purpose and is making a number of significant recommendations, the most substantial being to recommend a threshold for processing small-scale bioenergy projects of 1 MW or less outside of the GPA. It includes an executive summary which should make it easier to respond. Please provide any feedback from IrBEA members directly to Tom at tom.bruton@bioxl.ie strictly on or before 26th January.
Biogas Equipment Handbook available online
/in Biogas 3Under the Biogas3 project (www.biogas3.eu) a Biogas Equipment Handbook was designed specifically for smaller scale anaerobic digestion plants (circa under 100KWe or equivalent). The handbook is distributed across the 7 partner countries in the project and beyond. IrBEA and its project partners in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden will be promoting smaller scale Biogas concepts to the agri-food industry right across these countries, and the handbook that will contain data on equipment collected from this email shot will be central to this promotion. View the handbook here
Funding opportunities for researchers
/in Press ReleasesTwo separate funding opportunities have been announced for Irish researchers to participate in European Research Area Network (ERA-NET) Cofund Calls (Closing date is 29 March 2016):
1. Sustainable Animal Production Systems – SusAn
2. Monitoring & Mitigation of Greenhouse gases from Agri- and Silvi-culture – ERA-GAS