Thursday, September 25, 2008

Louise Hogan

A new "energy-crop calculator" was unveiled at the National Ploughing Championships to help guide farmers considering growing hemp, willow and miscanthus as a cash crop for energy.

The development of "largely untapped bio-energy resources" will contribute to the overall security of the country`s energy supply, Sustainable Energy Ireland`s Paul Dykes said.

There are currently around 3,500 hectares of energy crops planted countrywide.

"The prediction would be that it is set to increase, due to government targets and government policy targets being fulfiled," Teagasc`s energy crop specialist Barry Caslin said.

"For example, to meet the electricity and heat targets set out for Ireland, 70,000 hectares of willow and miscanthus will be required by 2015."

In the Government`s white paper on sustainable energy, a target of 5pc heat from renewable resources was set for 2010, and 12pc by 2020.

Mr Caslin explained that meeting the targets would involve the replacement of the fossil fuels used for heating.

"The biggest problem with the energy crops at the moment is the supply chains do not exist. The supply chains are there for fossil fuels but not for biomass. These energy crops will have to be grown on a local basis to meet local demands," he explained. "The whole infrastructure needs to be built up around energy crops to get the whole thing off the ground."

The crop willow can be chipped and burnt in a biomass or woodchip boiler, while miscanthus can be used in chipped or pellet form.

Mr Caslin said food security was not an issue in Ireland, with the majority of beef produced for export.

"We could take 200,000 hectares out in the morning and put it into energy crops and it wouldn`t make one bit of difference. We export 90pc of our beef," he said. "Farmers are looking for more security in terms of prices and stability."


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