This article is from page 8 of the 2014-04-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
THE Moneypoint power station could be transformed from Ireland biggest polluter to Ireland’s biggest source of renewable energy, according to a new report.
A BW Energy report, which was released over the weekend, claims that a switch from coal to biomass in the three Moneypoint electricity generators would effectively be a “silver bullet” for reaching Ireland’s renewable energy targets.
The transfer from coal to biomass at Moneypoint would, at a stroke, bring Ireland’s renewable energy levels above the 40 per cent target required by the EU by 2020. With Ireland’s renewable energy levels currently around 19.6 per cent of total, the estimated 25 per cent boost would bring Ireland comfortable over the target and even allow for a slower roll out of other renewable plants.
The three current power plants at Moneypoint are likely to be phased out on or before 2025. At present, there is no obvious choice for what form of power plant might replace the plants as coal or gas plants are unlikely to go ahead without the addition of carbon capture technology, which has yet to be developed.
Pro-nuclear group have begun lobbying the Irish Government about the possibility of building a new form of nuclear reactors, known as Small Modular Reactors, at the site. However, with both nuclear energy and the storage of captured carbon currently illegal in Ireland, there is no obvious energy form to replace the current system.
According to the BW Energy report, the conversion from coal to could be done for € 380 million. The proposed new new generators would burn mainly wood pellets at the West Clare site.
While biomass energy sources do release carbon, they are considered environmentally friendly and renewable as the carbon they release during burning is equivalent to the carbon captured by the trees and other plants used to make wood pellets. In this way, biomass factories do not contribute extra, previously trapped carbon, into the environment.
The majority of the wood pellets needed would likely have to be shipped from America, creating both extra cost and environmental impact, as Ireland currently does not have enough planted biomass plants to meet demand.