An anaerobic digester proposed for rural Co Cork would contribute significantly to Ireland's renewable energy targets and consume 250,000 tonnes of waste materials annually, a Bord Pleanála oral hearing was told yesterday.
Disposing of the wastes in question - slurries, solid manures, food processing waste, agricultural waste, abattoir waste and meat and bonemeal - is causing serious concern at national and international level, the applicants argued.
The applicant company, Bioverda - of which the original applicant, Valeco, is now a wholly owned subsidiary - presented its case in the first day's proceedings before Bord Pleanála inspector Kevin Moore. The company is proposing a plant at Ballard, Araglin, capable of producing 32 megawatts of electrical power.
The proposed facility would be located on a 17-hectare site 11km north east of Fermoy - a site on which, in August 1998, planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanála for the collection of biosolids from the agricultural and chemical industries in the Munster area, to facilitate the blending of these wastes and the use of the blended product as an agricultural fertiliser.
That applicant never proceeded with the plant but the fact that planning permission was granted was highlighted repeatedly by Bioverda yesterday.
The new proposal would see the erection of 20 tanks, approximately 23m high and 19m in diameter, as well as a 40m gas engine stack, which would be in continuous operation all year.
Bioverda CEO John Mullins told the hearing that in 2005, 885,000 tonnes of organic waste suitable for digestion was reported to the EPA.
Public health specialist Dr Martin Hogan told the hearing that biogas can smell bad but, "odour does not conform to harm; many substances can be smelt far below the levels at which they can cause harm".
Veterinary surgeon Dr Kevin Dodd said that, if it isn't operated and managed in line with best practice, the proposed plant would, in every likelihood, pose a risk to animal health.
Business development manager at Bioverda, Martin Hogan, citing, in particular, proximity of ESB and gas lines, said that in Valeco's view there was no better site in Munster for an anaerobic digestive facility than Araglin.