Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response and welcome the fact that a strategy is due to be published. I look forward to seeing it and examining its proposals. It is very important to consider electricity generation from biomass in the strategy. There is a project under way in Yorkshire at the moment to convert the largest coal-fired generating plant in Europe to biomass, which is technologically feasible and will contribute hugely to a reduction in carbon emissions. We should be looking at an adventurous programme like that, perhaps targeting Moneypoint for conversion to biomass, which would achieve the target of 40% renewable energy practically overnight. I hope the strategy will reflect that and will examine how that could be implemented. There is also huge potential for the development of a supply chain for the biomass industry and biomass power generation, particularly in the context of the amount of cut-out bog owned by Bord na Móna. Rather than using that for wind turbines, it could actually generate an indigenous industry delivering biomass for power generation and for export.

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