Integrated renewable sources could meet 75% of global energy demand

A DUTCH expert has predicted that in the most environmentally friendly scenario, integrated renewable sources — biomass, wind, hydro and solar — could fill up to 75% of the world’s long-term energy needs.

Professor Jens Bo Nielsen, Aalborg University, also predicted at the national bioenergy conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly, it will be possible to meet the EU-27 energy demand of up to 20% of all energy from biomass and biogenic waste without harming the environment or being in competition with food-feed production. He said bioenergy is the EU’s best opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and secure its energy supply.

Teagasc energy crop specialist Barry Caslin said 70,000 hectares of willow and miscanthus will be required by 2015 to meet Ireland’s electricity and heat targets.

Minister of State Mary Wallace, who officially opened the conference organised by Teagasc and the Irish Bioenergy Association, said the industry can only develop here if profitable for the raw material supplier, processors and investors.

She extended the closing date for submission of applications under the bioenergy scheme to the end of March to facilitate applications for establishment grants to grow miscanthus and willow.

Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle said agriculture’s contribution to the production of carbon emissions has been effectively nil since 1990.

Association president Vicky Heslop said there are huge opportunities for bioenergy in Ireland.