Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy. The use of biomass in power generation has a role. The main example we have at the moment is the Edenderry power plant, managed by Bord na Móna, which was designed to be 100% biomass compatible and has done exactly that. We switched away from the burning of peat in it. We are using 100% wood material now. I met Bord na Móna on this issue last week and I am told it is working very effectively. It is using a lot of relatively low-grade waste wood material. There is a huge potential opportunity for us to look now at storing some of the carbon emissions from that plant. Then we will have a carbon-negative power plant. I agree that sort of use of biomass in power generation to actually save and reduce emissions has a real future. Bord na Móna is on top of that and delivering it. I do not believe that relates in a sense to the HVO issue because that is a wood-waste material which does not impact on the rest of the agricultural sector. I agree that we are going to have much more growing of biofuel crops. Oilseed rape, for example, is a very attractive crop for farmers. I believe it can provide a good break crop. The sectors that will pay the highest premium for that - the industrial and transport sectors - can, will and should give farmers the incentive to get a good solid return from their work in growing it. The use in those sectors makes much more sense than in the heat sector.

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