This article is from page 99 of the 2008-10-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 99 JPG
CLARE farmers could soon be counting the benefits of a number of new bio-energy crops which could soon be filling the fields of the coun- ty. SWEGEN is a new farm initia- tive covering Clare as well as parts of Limerick and Kerry and aims to show farmers the opportunities available in the production of alter- native energy sources.
The group has reported receiving a large number of visitors to their stand at the Nation Ploughing Champion- ships, with farmers seeming keep to find out how to get their own bio-en- ergy crops Started.
“The high standards of work done by SWEGEN over the last year has
been reflected in the large volume of interested parties at this years Na- tional Ploughing Championships,’ said the Director with SWEGEN, Liam Browne.
‘There was also a fantastic level of interest from national media, prov- ing just how relevant bio fuels and their production are to the public and industry.”
SWEGEN is currently working in tandem with both the GEGA and GESCO organisations.
GEGA was established in 2006 to facilitate the production and process- ing of bio energy crops and fuels.
The GESCO Network’s primary focus is to establish viable long term green energy supply services and is essentially a country wide network of
Green Energy Service Companies.
Their main aim is to develop real business opportunities for rural com- munities in the developing green en- ergy market and to ensure that rural communities continue to benefit long term from energy production. GEGA has doubled its crop production in the last year and expect to do the same this year by keeping in line with their organisational strategy.
The GESCO Network has an ongo- ing, rapidly expanding Miscanthus development programme and _ this year saw the first of large-scale field trials of industrial hemp to establish its suitability and application as a Bi- omass Corp. The crops both flourish in the Irish climate and the support of GEGA means that crop growers
can maximise the quality of their produce.
SWEGEN meetings will run in the Clare region between the end of October and January of next year. For more check www.swegen.ie, e- mail info@swegen.ie or contact the GEGA office directly on 1890 232 POE