Bord na Móna to deliver significant elements of national climate plan
Bord na Móna will deliver a number of critical objectives of the Government’s climate action plan particularly in the areas of renewable electricity generation, recycling and waste management, and land use change.
The company is committed to decarbonising its business and supporting the national response to the climate emergency. In October 2018, the company announced an accelerated transition away from its traditional operations into renewable energy, resource recovery and the development of new goods and services for the green economy.
Renewable Electricity
Bord na Móna has a proven ability to deliver renewable electricity projects. In the past five years the company has commissioned three wind farms in the Midlands, is about to complete another in Mayo and is working on a substantial development pipeline. The company considers the government target of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 to be achievable and is already generating 10% of Irish renewable electricity. Its development pipeline of projects can provide at least 1GW of new renewable capacity on the company’s land bank. This will be delivered largely through wind power alongside biomass and solar power generation by 2030.
A key aspect of the company’s plan for a managed transition to a lower carbon business model involves ending peat harvesting for power generation and progressively replacing it with biomass. This co-fuelling transition has already been achieved at Bord na Móna’s Edenderry power station which is the largest dispatchable renewable generator on the island.
Recycling
The company is leading in the area of recycling and reusing materials;
- Bord na Móna last year launched its new tyre recycling facility based in Drogheda. This is the only facility in Ireland that recycles tyres into crumb rubber products that are used on playgrounds and sports pitches.
- Bord na Móna is developing a new plastics recycling facility at one of its former fuel production sites.
- The company is developing an anaerobic digestion facility that will generate renewable gas from organic waste.
Land Use Change
Bord na Móna is also making a significant contribution in the area of national land use change. The company has already rehabilitated 15,000 hectares of bog and will rehabilitate an additional 20,000 hectares by 2025. This work has already begun with drain-blocking programmes to facilitate vegetation establishment and stabilisation of former peat production areas. This work helps create a range of new habitats for native wildlife.
New Goods and Services
The company is conducting a number of feasibility projects regarding the development of new low-carbon goods and services in the area of aquaculture, medicinal herb cultivation, and new energy delivery infrastructure.