Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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99. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will report on the development of the biomass sector, in particular the development of local biomass supply chains for the domestic renewable heat sector and the transition from peat burning power stations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29771/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Energy White Paper and the Programme for Government recognise the potential for biomass to play an important role in decarbonising our economy.

 There are a wide range of Government departments, agencies and state bodies that are critical enablers for biomass development by virtue of their responsibility for areas such as energy, forestry, agriculture, waste, research funding and business development.

The principal measure designed to support the biomass sector in Ireland at present is the REFIT 3 scheme. This scheme has the potential to support up to 310 MW of biomass plants in Ireland, including support for the co-firing of biomass at the three existing peat stations. Bord na Mona (BnM) is the only plant to have availed of this support to date.

In addition, my Department is in the process of finalising a Bioenergy Plan to be published later this year. The Plan will highlight the full range of supply-side and demand-side measures that are needed to release the full potential of the domestic biomass sector in Ireland.  I expect that a revised draft bioenergy plan to go for public consultation in the coming months. This consultation will be advertised on my Department's website at .

One of the key measures in the bioenergy plan is the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The RHI is designed as a demand side measure in the bioenergy sector as it is likely to provide commercial opportunities for renewable heat technologies, including biomass boiler installations. Therefore it is likely that new opportunities will open up for biomass feedstock producers downstream in the biomass supply market. However, available domestic biomass is limited and therefore any supply side measures that can encourage growth in domestic biomass production will assist in meeting the renewable heat target in a cost effective way.

In addition, Bioenergy Ireland, now proposed as BnM BioEnergy, will produce synergies between BnM and Coillte Teoranta, in a number of areas including bioenergy and forestry, which will stimulate growth in the biomass sector. These companies are pursuing a series of initiatives including promoting private afforestation, developing energy crop proposals, incentivising supply mobilisation through aggregation and developing the demand for biomass fuel.