Laois Offaly TD to contact Minister over BNM's 'incoherent' renewables policy

Bord na Móna’s importation of woodchip from Brazil is symptomatic of an incoherent renewables policy, a Laois Offaly TD has claimed. 

Deputy Carol Nolan was responding to a statement from Bord na Móna in relation to the reported importation of thousands of tonnes of woodchip from thousands of kilometres away in Brazil. The fuel is to be burned in a Co Offaly power plant which has ceased burning peat. 

Bord na Móna defended its policy of burning Brazilian woodchip at the Edenderry plant as it pushes for net zero emissions by 2050. 

“The Edenderry Power Plant will be 100% biomass-fuelled by 2024. A combination of biomass materials are required to produce the correct fuel mix for power generation. In order to achieve the necessary biomass mix to fuel the Edenderry Plant, Bord na Móna sources sustainable residual material predominantly from indigenous suppliers, and the remainder, which cannot be sourced locally due to volume and suitability constraints, is supplemented with material sourced internationally,” Bord na Móna stated. 

Deputy Nolan said she will be pursuing the issue with Bord na Móna and the Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan. 

“The BNM statement lacks credibility and is extremely contradictory given the significant level of emissions that would surely be involved during the entire sourcing and transportation process,” said Deputy Nolan.  

€169 m to ensure 'no one is left behind' by peat change in Laois and midlands

“It appears to me that BNM is prepared to be involved in or support the generation of high emissions elsewhere but just not at home. This is symptomatic of a wider incoherence in its renewables policy more generally.

I will certainly be pursuing this matter further both with BNM and with the Minister for the Environment,” Deputy Nolan added.