Forestry firm unveils plans for biomass-fuelled power plant

Private forestry company Greenbelt unveiled plans for a new biomass-fuelled power plant in Claremorris, Co Mayo, while celebrating its 30th birthday with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

This plant, together with its power plant on the Asahi site at Killala, will create a market for almost a million tonnes of output a year from forests in the west and north-west.

Greenbelt was established by foresters Mossie Ryan and Tim O’Brien in 1982. It has planted, established and is now managing 100,000 ha (250,000 acres) of forests for 7,000 farmers and landowners. Based in Virginia, Co Cavan, it employs 500 directly and indirectly in forest planting, management and harvesting.