Bord na Móna prepares for €20m smokeless coal facility
Bord na Móna has launched site preparation works for its new €20m smokeless coal plant at Foynes, Co Limerick. The facility is being developed to supply up to 150,000 tonnes of smokeless coal to the Irish market. It is expected that 80 jobs will be created during the construction phase of the site, while the site will provide 25 jobs when it becomes operational.
The development comes as a total ban on bituminous coal is planned to be introduced by the Government over the next three years.
Head of Bord na Móna Fuels, Eddie Scaife said that the construction of the plant would see it maintain that leadership “through and beyond” the transition to smokeless fuel. “Today’s launch means we are starting this new phase of the conversation with our customers… we are looking forward to supplying them with cleaner, smokeless coal that they can rely on when the new regulations come into effect,” Mr Scaife said.
Last month Bord na Móna unveiled a €1.2bn investment programme with a major focus on renewable energy projects. The commercial semi-state is to diversify into the solar and biomass sectors.
