Irish energy company to seek approval for €60 million US pellet facility

Bord na Móna, an Irish energy company, will soon seek government approval for plans to invest €60 million in building a wood pellet factory in the US, according to the Irish Times.

It was announced in September 2016 that the state owned company wanted to build a pellet plant in Georgia that would turn willow trees into pellets for export to the Republic of Ireland as fuel for electricity generators.

The move would need approval from Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, which the Irish Times reports will soon be sought by Bord na Móna.

According to the Irish Times, the energy company is working on the business case for the €60 million investment. It’s been reported by the company that its future requirement for biomass will be in excess of 1.5 million tonnes per year.

Bord na Móna’s website states that the company aims to be the largest supplier of sustainable biomass in Ireland, arguing that the development of the biomass industry is essential for meeting Ireland’s renewable energy targets.

Last year, a representative from Bord na Móna explained to The Times that investment in wood pellet manufacturing the US was pivotal to the company meeting its Bioenergy targets.

“Investment by Bord na Móna in wood pellet manufacturing in the US is likely to be necessary in the medium term to ensure security of supply on a cost-effective basis,” the company representative told the newspaper.