Bord na Móna's Edenderry power plant in Ireland moved from peat-fired electricity to biomass last week, meaning it no longer harvests bogs for fuel, reported the Irish Independent.
The plant is the last of Ireland's peat-fuelled plants to adopt an alternative fuel source.
In 2018, Bord na Móna promised a focus on cleaner operations.
“Five years ago, Bord na Móna set out on our ambitious ‘brown to green’ strategy to transform the business into a climate solutions and renewable energy leader in Ireland,” said Tom Donnellan, chief executive of Bord na Móna.
“Today, as we use peat to fuel our Edenderry power station for the final time, we have completed our unprecedented transition to using renewable energy sources and are now one of the largest producers of renewable electricity in the State.”
Edenderry is undergoing a €100 million upgrade, and is continuing to burn biomass. Trials of co-firing the plant with biomass began as early as 2007, and by 2020, the plant was co-fired with about 62% of biomass.
Bord na Móna said it sourced the vast majority of its biomass from Irish suppliers, following criticism about imports.
“When the remaining biomass required cannot be acquired locally due to volume and suitability constraints, it is supplemented with material sourced internationally as a result,” the company said.
Ireland’s last peat-fuelled power plant switches to 100% biomass
