Anaerobic digestion biogas facility gets green light in north Mayo
PLANS for a renewable energy project in north Mayo - an anaerobic digestion (ad) biogas facility and associated gas pipeline - have been granted planning permission by Mayo County Council.
The facility will use locally sourced silage and slurry as feedstock to generate biogas for export to the national grid, with residual digestate being available for use locally as bio-fertiliser.
The development address encompasses a number of townlands - Lisglennon, Ballybroony, Coonealmore, Coonealcauraun, Rathrooen, Culleens, Laghtadawannagh and Farrannoo, Ballina.
The proposal includes two grass silage storage clamps, an access and circulation tract from the L1110, new site entrance on the Mullafarry Road, and a pipeline of c.8.6km located in the public road and verges to connect the facility to the national grid north of Ballina. Ancillary developments include a site office building, weighbridge, attenuation tank and on-site drainage.
The company behind the development is Lisglennon Ad Limited.
A planner's report sets out how the plant will handle up to 42,500 tonnes per annum of grass silage and up to 18,000 tonnes of slurry. These are maximum figures and are likely to be lower.
The farmer behind the company will, it was stated, initially provide much of the 'fuel' required, and then it will be sourced from nearby farms.
A number of submissions were received by the council raising concerns, which largely related to increased traffic volumes on the local road network, impact on residential amenity especially from odour, property price devaluation, noise and environmental impact.
A submission by local Councillor Jarlath Munnelly said this considerable environmental and energy project had the potential to transform agricultural waste (slurry) into usable gas, and it appeared it could make a positive contribution to the local environment and local agriculture. It also had the potential to create jobs.
It was important, he said, that the local community were assured that the project would be regulated and run well, and that appropriate conditions were applied to make sure of this.