At the launch of a report, which calls on the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten to set a target of 70pc of electricity to be generated from renewables by 2030, Des O’Toole said farmers should plant more forestry.
He said that 740,000 ha on the island of Ireland are already devoted to forestry, 10.5pc of Ireland’s land mass, but more needs to be planted.
The amount of timber on the market is set to double within the next 10 years, according to Des, as “all the forestry that was planted 15 to 20 years ago, it’ll all be coming to the market within the next 10 years.”
“We support the call for a 70pc target for renewable electricity by 2030 and we believe that the bioenergy sector will play a crucial role in delivering on this ambitious target.
“With the output from our domestic forests expected to double over the next 15 years, combined heat and power (CHP) utilising locally sourced biomass offers the potential to produce renewable electricity for large energy users and supports the sustainable growth of the forestry sector, which in turn will ensure continued economic vibrancy and employment across rural Ireland.”
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