MONAGHAN IFA Environment Committee Chairman, Patrick Traynor has welcomed a recent announcement by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to provide a start-up grant and a higher electricity price for renewable energy production.

Mr Traynor said “Farmers have always realised the nutrient value of slurry and organic manure for crop production. However following a recent announcement of a bioenergy scheme by Energy Minister Eamonn Ryan farmers can now consider using slurry to produce electricity. This scheme will include a start-up grant and an increased guaranteed price for the production of electricity from slurry by a means called anaerobic digestion.”

The scheme has a budget of up to €8 million and will provide up to 30% investment grant support from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) for eligible projects, with a guaranteed price of up to 12cent per KWh for the production of electricity from biogas.

“This new bioenergy scheme has the potential to provide an alternative for the many intensive livestock and pig farmers, who presently export slurry to customer farmers and prepare the onerous associated plans and paperwork,” he added.