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Making Access to Renewable Wood Energy a Reality for Homes and Businesses in the Western Region RASLRES – WOOD ENERGY WORKSHOP ÁRD RÍ HOTEL, TUAM, CO. GALWAY 15TH NOVEMBER, 2011 Earlier today, as part of the Western Development Commission (WDC) RASLRES Wood Energy Workshop in Tuam, with partners Teagasc and the County Clare Wood Energy Project launched their Wood Energy Guide “Using local timber to heat your home”. This brochure is an ‘all you need to know guide’ for end users in considering locally produced timber as a renewable energy resource for their homes and businesses. It provides practical information for home owners and small scale businesses on; - boiler types and sourcing suitable appliances - types of fuel available and - practical tips for wood storage It includes checklists for buying firewood and appliances intended for use when making investment decisions for small scale installations. The brochure is the result of a continuing partnership between RASLRES, Teagasc and the County Clare Wood Energy Project in their continued development of renewable wood energy in the western region. Over 80 people attended today’s RASLRES workshop, from public sector heat users, installation companies and fuel suppliers to local development players, showing the developing demand for renewable wood energy in the west. The workshop created active engagement on how local action can drive the growth of wood energy supply chains in the region. The workshop brought together experts in the wood energy field to provide information and learning to those who have an interest in being part of the wood energy community. It highlighted the lessons learned from the RASLRES project and the experiences of Teagasc, Department of Education and Donegal County Council in their development of wood energy solutions. Speaking earlier today at the event Mary Hoade WDC board member stated, “We are delighted with the interest shown from across the region in today’s event and welcome the participation and involvement of local authorities, national agencies and those at local level who are interested in developing renewable energy solutions”. Bernadette Phelan, Development Executive at the WDC commented, “Engagement from the sector in today’s event and through the case studies highlighted during the workshop, enables the industry to understand the issues and challenges which have the potential to impact sectoral growth”. “The outputs from today’s event present an opportunity for the WDC to further develop meaningful supports, through the RASLRES project, to respond effectively to market need and continue growth in the sector for the Western Region. This helps us achieve the RALRES aim of doubling the wood heat energy sector. We look forward to working closely with our industry partners to further our success to date in building sustainable models for renewable energy”. Ms Phelan concluded. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Contact Bernadette Phelan at 086 8340279 or by email at bernadettephelan@wdc.ie ABOUT RASLRES RASLRES is a European bio-energy project led by the Western Development Commission. RASLRES goes to the heart of the local community by using local resources and local people to provide a complete solution for renewable energy in turn providing jobs and opportunities for our communities. This ground-breaking initiative has already delivered 7 pilot projects in the west from Donegal to Clare which provide the starting point for development of a sustainable wood energy supply chain delivered within the local region. For additional information on the RASLRES Project visit www.raslres.eu
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Bioenergy Project Ignites Interest In Western Region RASLRES: REGIONAL APPROACHES TO STIMULATING LOCAL RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS The Western Region of Ireland is poised to reap the benefit of an almost €3 million multi-national bio-energy project being led by the Western Development Commission. The RASLRES project is a European-funded initiative that aims to benefit the Western Region in a number of crucial areas related to renewable bio-mass, namely supplying local energy from local sources and delivering sustainable jobs to rural areas. At a meeting of regional stakeholders in Carrick-on-Shannon 12th March, it was disclosed that already the WDC has received around 125 enquiries about involvement in the RASLRES project from regional businesses and organisations, which has overwhelmed and delighted the partners according to Ian Brannigan, Regional Development Manager for the WDC. “The interest in being part of this innovative project in the West is clear from the stir it has already created. We see RASLRES as being a stepping stone to enable rural areas to use their natural resources to create sustainable economic development and help Ireland reach emissions targets in the process.” Bernadette Phelan, Regional Development Executive at the WDC explained, “A lot of the forestry plantations in the west were planted during the 1980s and 1990s. This resource is therefore at an age suitable for first and subsequent thinnings so the project is very timely. Developing the wood energy market will create a market for these forestry thinnings and will encourage farmers to actively manage their forestry which in the long run results in a better timber harvest when the trees are fully mature.” WDC research shows that the West could develop an indigenous, sustainable, renewable energy resource delivering 11% of the regions’ heat needs by 2020 and create up to 900 additional jobs. To deliver 11% of the region’s heat needs would require over 470,000 tonnes of wood fuel, generate an additional €15 million to the economy and provide €1.7 million to the west’s farming sector each year. The jobs created would be spread across the entire supply chain from private forest owners, to haulage companies, to plumbing, engineering, and electrical companies. Additionally the estimated CO2 emissions saved annually would equate to taking over 92,000 cars off the roads in the west of Ireland Given the high level of interest already shown in being part of the RASLRES project, Brannigan stated that formal expressions of interest are now being sought from wood growers, suppliers or potential end users of wood energy. Brannigan urged people, however, to submit their expressions of interest for consideration immediately by contacting Ian Brannigan at ianbrannigan@wdc.ie. FURTHER INFORMATION: Ian Brannigan Regional Development Manager Western Development Commission Email: ianbrannigan@wdc.ie NOTE TO THE EDITOR: RASLRES is a project funded by the Northern Periphery Programme (www.northernperiphery.eu). The RASLRES project will: - build awareness of opportunities for rural communities to produce and supply locally produced biomass (wood, seaweed and energy crops) to towns and cities - provide business development support to rural biomass producing communities - development of biomass supply chains through direct business and community engagement RASLRES is an international partnership which includes: • Western Development Commission – Ireland • Action Renewables – Northern Ireland, UK • Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College – Scotland • Municipality of Norsjö – Sweden • Oceanrainforest Ltd – Faroe Islands • VTT, Technical Research Centre – Finland Ian Brannigan was speaking at a meeting of the Regional Wood Energy Advisory Group in Carrick-On-Shannon on Friday 12th March. The Regional Wood Energy Action Group will act as an advisory group to the project for its duration until 2012. Its members include: - Paul Dykes and Pearse Buckley, Sustainable Energy Ireland - Steven Meyen and Barry Caslin, Teagasc - Richard Browne, Department from Communications, Energy and Natural Resources - Doirín Graham and Gloria Callinan, Clare Local Development - Geraldine O’Sullivan, Irish Farmers Association - Peter Keavney, Galway City Council - Peter Cafferkey, Department of Agriculture - Conor Lawlor, Sligo Institute of Technology - Charles Sweeney, Donegal County Council - Fiona Ní Mhurchadha, Udarás na Gaelteachta - John O’Brien, Irish Bioenergy Association SPREAGTAR SPÉIS I dTIONSCADAL BITHFHUINNIMH I RÉIGIÚN AN IARTHAIR RASLRES: CINEÁLACHA CUR CHUIGE RÉIGIÚNACHA CHUN RÉITIGH ÁITIÚLA MAIDIR LE FUINNEAMH IN ATHNUAITE A SPREAGADH Tá Réigiún an Iarthair chun tairbhe a bhaint as tionscadal bithfhuinnimh ilnáisiúnta de luach beagnach €3 mhilliún atá á stiúradh ag Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair. Is tionscnamh maoinithe ag an Eoraip é RASLRES a bhfuil mar aidhm aige cabhrú le Réigiún an Iarthair tairbhe a bhaint as roinnt réimsí ríthábhachtacha a bhaineann le bithmhais in athnuaite, is iad sin, fuinneamh áitiúil a sholáthar ó fhoinsí áitiúla agus poist inbhuanaithe a chur ar fáil i gceantair tuaithe. Ag cruinniú na bpáirtithe leasmhara réigiúnacha i gCora Droma Rúisc an 12 Márta, nochtadh go raibh thart ar 125 fiosrúchán ó ghnóthais agus ó eagraíochtaí réigiúnacha le spéis acu i bpáirt a ghlacadh sa tionscadal RASLRES faighte ag an WDC cheana féin, rud a chuir gliondar croí ar na comhpháirtithe de réir Ian Brannigan, Bainisteoir Forbartha Réigiúnaí leis an WDC. “Is léir ón bplé atá á dhéanamh faoi go bhfuil spéis ag daoine i bpáirt a ghlacadh sa tionscadal nuálaíoch seo san Iarthar. Is cloch chora é RASLRES a chuirfidh ar chumas ceantar tuaithe a n acmhainní nádúrtha a úsáid chun forbairt eacnamaíoch inbhuanaithe a dhéanamh, agus a chabhróidh le hÉirinn spriocanna maidir le hastuithe a bhaint amach ag an am céanna.” Mhínigh Bernadette Phelan, Feidhmeannach Forbartha Réigiúnaí leis an WDC, “Cuireadh an chuid de na fáschoillte foraoiseachta san iarthar le linn na 1980í agus na 1990í. Mar sin, tá sé in am an acmhainn seo a thanú den chéad uair, agus beidh sí le tanú arís ina dhiaidh sin. Dá bhrí sin, tá an tionscadal thar a bheith tráthúil. Tríd an margadh fuinnimh adhmaid a fhorbairt, cruthófar margadh do na tanúcháin foraoiseachta seo agus spreagfar d’fheirmeoirí bainistíocht ghníomhach a dhéanamh ar a bhforaoisí, rud a bheidh ina chúis le baint fheabhsaithe adhmaid nuair a bheidh na crainn go hiomlán aibí.” Léiríonn taighde an WDC go bhféadfadh an tIarthar acmhainn fuinnimh dhúchasach, inbhuanaithe, in athnuaite a fhorbairt a sheachadfadh 11% de riachtanais teasa an réigiúin faoi 2020 agus a chruthódh suas le 900 post breise. Chun 11% de riachtanais teasa an réigiúin a chur ar fáil, bheadh gá le breis agus 470,000 tonna de bhreosla adhmaid, ghinfí €15 mhilliún breise don gheilleagar, agus chuirfí €1.7 milliún ar fáil d’earnáil feirmeoireachta an iarthair gach bliain. Bheadh na poist a chruthófaí scaipthe ar fud an tslabhra soláthair, ó úinéirí foraoisí príobháideacha, go cuideachtaí tarlaithe bóthair, go cuideachtaí pluiméireachta, innealtóireachta agus leictreachais. Lena chois sin, meastar go mbeadh an laghdú ar astuithe CO2 in aghaidh na bliana cothrom le breis agus 92,000 gluaisteán a bhaint de bhóithre in iarthar na hÉireann. Toisc líon na ndaoine a luaigh go mbeadh spéis acu i bpáirt a ghlacadh i dtionscadal RASLRES cheana féin, chuir an tUasal Brannigan in iúl go bhfuil léirithe spéise foirmiúla á lorg ó shaothróirí agus soláthraithe adhmaid nó ó úsáideoirí deiridh féideartha fuinnimh adhmaid anois. Mhol an tUasal Brannigan do dhaoine a léirithe spéise a chur in iúl láithreach trí ríomhphost a sheoladh chuige ag ianbrannigan@wdc.ie chun go bhféadfaí iad a mheasúnú. TUILLEADH FAISNÉISE: Ian Brannigan Bainisteoir Forbartha Réigiúnaí Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair Ríomhphost: ianbrannigan@wdc.ie NÓTA DON EAGARTHÓIR: Is tionscadal é RASLRES atá maoinithe ag Clár an Imill Thuaidh (www.northernperiphery.eu). Maidir leis an tionscadal RASLRES: • méadóidh sé feasacht ar na deiseanna atá ann do phobail tuaithe bithmhais áitiúil (adhmad, feamainn agus barraí fuinnimh) a tháirgeadh agus a sholáthar do bhailte agus do chathracha • cuirfidh sé tacaíocht forbartha gnó ar fáil do phobail áitiúla a tháirgfidh bithmhais • forbróidh sé slabhraí soláthair bithmhaise trí chaidreamh díreach a bhunú le gnóthais agus leis an bpobal Is comhpháirtíocht idirnáisiúnta í RASLRES a bhfuil na grúpaí seo a leanas páirteach inti: • Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair – Éire • Action Renewables – Tuaisceart Éireann, an RA • Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College – an Albain • Bardas Norsjö – an tSualainn • Oceanrainforest Teo – Oileáin Fharó • VTT, Lárionad um Thaighde Teicniúil – an Fhionlainn Bhí Ian Brannigan ag labhairt ag cruinniú den Ghrúpa Comhairleach Réigiúnach ar Fhuinneamh Adhmaid i gCora Droma Rúisc Dé hAoine, an 12 Márta. Cuirfidh an Grúpa Comhairleach Réigiúnach ar Fhuinneamh Adhmaid comhairle ar an tionscadal ar feadh a shaoil, is é sin go dtí 2012. I measc a chuid ball tá: • Paul Dykes agus Pearse Buckley, Fuinneamh Inmharthana Éireann • Steven Meyen agus Barry Caslin, Teagasc • Richard Browne, an Roinn Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha • Doirín Graham agus Gloria Callinan, Forbairt Áitiúil an Chláir • Geraldine O’Sullivan, Feirmeoirí Aontaithe na hÉireann • Peter Keavney, Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe • Peter Cafferkey, an Roinn Talmhaíochta • Conor Lawlor, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Shligigh • Charles Sweeney, Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall • Fiona Ní Mhurchadha, Údarás na Gaeltachta • John O’Brien, Cumann Bithfhuinnimh na hÉireann