Ireland: IrBEA and Cré launch their “Biogas Manifesto”
The Composting & Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland (Cré) and the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) have jointly launched a manifesto promoting biogas as a solution to the renewable energy challenge in the country.
Politicians from across the political landscape heard on 12 November how a simple technology can deliver thousands of jobs and significant other social, economic and environmental benefits – through the use of anaerobic digestion. Details were outlined in Dublin at the joint launch of the “Biogas Manifesto” by the IrBEA and Cré.
Analysis by the two associations indicates anaerobic digestion has the potential to create 2,250 direct permanent jobs, with many more in the construction phase, spread across all counties in Ireland. This would be especially welcome in rural Ireland, as many rural areas struggle to emerge from the financial crisis.
Anaerobic digestion has the capability to supply enough electricity to power 20% of Irish homes, or to replace 7.5% of the fossil-based natural gas with renewable “green” gas, via the national gas grid. Renewable energy from anaerobic digestion could be a significant incentive to attract new foreign investment into Ireland, enabling major companies such as Apple to gain marketing traction by meeting their sustainability goals.
Cré CEO Percy Foster said: “The technology for biogas in proven and readily available. The current review of the bioenergy strategy needs to recognise the great opportunities that biogas provides.”
Director of IrBEA Padraic O’Neill said: “Biogas represents a huge opportunity for locally produced renewable energy, job creation, rural development and sustainable agriculture. This needs to be higher on the political agenda.”
Source: Cré
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