Biofuel option must be considered, says expert
Dr Bernard Rice said the situation was beginning to change, however, and the proposed expansion of excise relief on liquid biofuels in the Budget removes a major barrier to the development of the industry.
He told the Teagasc national tillage conference that the era of cheap and abundant oil supplies is over, and it is important to find alternatives over the next 10 years.
Dr Rice said research work by Teagasc at Oak Park, Carlow, has shown opportunities for farmers to produce biomass for energy or to convert farm by-products or residue materials to biofuels. He said the big challenge in biofuel production will be to achieve profitability.
“There are difficulties ahead, but with fuel security an increasing worry, greenhouse gas problems intensifying and traditional farming enterprises in difficulty, turning back is not an option,” he said.
Dr Rice estimated building an ethanol production plant on a greenfield site would cost €60 million. He reckoned converting the closed Carlow sugar factory, which he felt would be the obvious location, rather than Mallow, would cost an estimated €20m-€25m.
The conference was also told that the demise of the Irish sugar beet industry has severely dented the confidence of tillage farmers.
