State aid for up to 50 biofuel projects

NEARLY 50 applications for biofuel production have been received by the Government, and several projects are being grant-aided already, revealed Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan at this week’s biofuel conference organised by the IFA.

She said 34 applications were made for pilot biofuel projects on foot of the 2003 Finance Act mineral oil tax relief. Decisions on these applications would be made shortly, and negotiations are continuing between the Departments of Marine and of Finance on scaling up the mineral oil tax relief scheme.

Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has grant aided almost €250,000 to biofuel developers. A further €40,000 has been provided to Teagasc for oil quality testing.