Green group plants bio-energy crops

MEMBERS of the Green Energy Growers Association (GEGA) have begun planting over 400 acres of miscanthus across counties Wexford, Kilkenny and Tipperary.

GEGA has been working for months to secure an unrestricted 10-year agreement for distribution, regeneration and harvesting of miscanthus and other bio-energy rootstocks for its members.

Thirty growers are in the first wave of GEGA’s bio-energy programme, which is believed to be the single largest block of commercial biomass development in Ireland.

Another 800 hectares are booked for planting in 2008 and within five years some 50,000 hectares will be re-generated from Irish rootstock, delivering over 900,000 tonnes of fuel pellets and ethanol products from these carbon neutral sources.

GEGA’s national director Ann Kehoe said farmers have become aware of the pivotal role they will play in Ireland’s future bio-energy security: “It is also essential that we replace fossil fuels with bio-alternatives to contribute to a global reduction in CO2 and other greenhouse gases.”

GEGA plans to enable seven green energy service companies across Ireland over the next year and a major programme linking bio commodities and carbon offsets for industry. GESCOS are a producer-owned rural business that grows, stores, and processes bio-energy products for delivery as fuels and metered heat and power.