Northern Ireland poultry farmers to benefit from biomass plant

A biomass plant in Northern Ireland is seen crucial for the poultry industry as well as save taxpayers millions of pounds.

Rose Energy -- a consortium of poultry companies--would deal with huge quantities of poultry litter and also deliver up to the province's renewable energy by using agriculture biomass as an energy source.  Rose Energy is composed of O'Kane Poultry, Moy Park and Glenfarm Holdings.

The Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA) is supporting the establishment of this 30-megawatt power plant, stating it would help Northern Ireland abide EU's new rules on reducing the manure spread on farms.

However, the plant has been the centre of a vigorous campaign by local people who insist it is an inappropriate development as these can add traffic and pollution problems.

Michael Bell, executive director of NIFDA, defended the plant, stating the poultry industry is at the heart of the local economy and must be protected from closure.

Northern Ireland's poultry industry employs over 7,000 people, and Bell says it is vital that the industry should be developed in a "sustainable manner," as a "clean Green Island is the foundation of our food industry and we will protect and maintain it."

Bell added that using the poultry bedding as a biomass fuel would offer a viable solution to maintaining our environment as well as providing renewable energy.