Biofuelwatch, Dogwood Alliance and Friends of the Irish Environment have submitted objections to Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board (ESB)’s latest plan to convert another peat power station – Lough Ree, in Lanesborough – to run on biomass instead.
FIE cited the critical importance of Ireland’s peatlands in terms of biodiversity and also in terms of the climate crisis, ‘where ceasing peatland drainage and extraction has rightly been described as the ‘low hanging fruit’ of the urgent reductions required in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emission’. [1]
This comes soon after a similar application – for Bord na Mona’s Shannonbridge/West Offaly Power Station to burn biomass – was rejected. Reasons for rejection included both “Inadequacy of the indigenous biomass supply in the State to serve the development, and consequent high dependence on imported biomass” and “Lack of information or transparency on the location or impact of the biomass proposed to be sourced for progressive substitution for peat fuel”.
Burning peat and biomass are both unsustainable forms of generating electricity. Rather than being converted to biomass, Ireland’s peat power stations should be shut down, with the capacity being replaced by genuine low–carbon renewable energy and greater energy efficiency and conservation.
You can read Biofuelwatch’s full submission here.
[1] International Objections to Lough Ree Power Plant – Friends of the Irish Environment https://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.org/press-releases/17691-international-objections-to-lough-ree-power-plant