Biomass energy vital for Ireland

Sustainability of biomass as an energy source will be vital if Ireland achieves its renewable energy targets, a conference in Dublin has heard.


It is claimed that Ireland needs to gather together significant quantities of biomass in order to hit its targets for 2020 and an EU-wide scheme for determining the sustainability of biofuels is at an advanced stage of progression.

The Biomass:Achieving Targets-Maximising Benefits conference was organised by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), Tipperary Institute and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Over the past five years the global market in biomass for energy has grown substantially and SEI estimates that it could provide between 5% and 10% of Ireland’s total primary energy requirement by 2020.

Pearse Buckley, SEI’s representative on the executive committee of the IEA bio energy implementing agreement, said that the sustainability of biomass has become a focus of public debate, particularly due to the demand for biofuels.

“Here in Ireland the Bioenergy Working Group has a goal to develop a sustainable bioenergy supply roadmap towards the national renewable energy targets for 2020,” added Mr Buckley.

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