Co-firing is widley regarded as a low-cost way of efficiently and cleanly converting biomass to electricity, by adding it as a partial substitute to fossil fuels.

In this case Bord na Móna’s is adding biomass to its peat powered station in Edenderry.

In 2010, 110,000 tonnes of biomass material passed through the plant, representing a 12% co-firing rate.

The 12% co-firing rate resulted in an equivalent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the plant of almost 100,000t of CO2.

The cuts also resulted in the production of 85,000 MWh of greener electricity – enough to power approximately 15,000 homes.

This claimed Bord na Móna today (May 19) puts it on track to hit a 15% level this year, which will be the fourth year of co-firing.

And, this update also puts the energy giant well on target to make its planned 30% target by 2015.

A spokesman said: “This is critically important to Bord na Móna as the publication of the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) confirmed the key role that co-firing in the peat stations will play in the achievement of Ireland’s mandatory renewable target by 2020.”

Luke Walsh

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