'Not one complaint': Major energy project has been well received
Pictured at the sod turning event for Ireland’s largest agri-based biomethane plant in Ballinrobe with Minister of State at the Department of Energy, Climate and the Environment, Alan Dillon TD are Cllr Michael Burke; Tom O’Brien, Group Chief Executive Nephin Renewable Gas; Donal Murphy CEO DCC Plc; Grahame Lockhead, Managing Director, Nephin Renewable Gas; John Rooney, Managing Director Flogas and Dennis King, Canadian Ambassador to Ireland.
A South Mayo renewable energy project has been praised for the manner in which it has progressed.
Construction got underway in recent weeks on Ireland's largest agri-based biomethane plant near Ballinrobe. The facility is the first commercial-scale plant of its kind in the country.
At a meeting of Mayo Co Council’s Planning and Corporate Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) last week, committee chair Michael Burke lauded the development.
“You get a lot of people coming along saying, ‘I’d love to do this and I’ll do that,’ but just don’t go about it. This didn’t go to An Coimisiún Pleanála, it was dealt with by Mayo County Council 100% and there was no issue. I don’t think there was one objection, and maybe an observation or two. The work they have done to date is just fantastic. I have not had one complaint,” said the Ballinrobe councillor.
He said a solar farm project in Claremorris has had similar success.
“Again it was dealt with by Mayo County Council. No appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála because the people went out there and explained their message."
Cllr Burke said these type of projects are “great for South Mayo.”
Cllr John Caulfield said the Ballinrobe project can also have benefits for agriculture in the county.
Nephin Energy, the developers of the facility, say it will generate over 85 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of sustainable, Irish-produced biomethane. The company said the project will also create more than 100 direct and indirect jobs over its lifetime, along with "providing farmers with long-term, reliable income streams".
- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
