Massive green energy scheme could make Lecale a UK leader

Massive green energy scheme could make Lecale a UK leader

4 December 2013

RURAL Lecale is at the centre of a major new project to establish Northern Ireland’s first energy storage initiative.

The former Bishopscourt airfield is the preferred site for a ‘centre of excellence’ where a micro grid would be created to manage the distribution of power from a string of renewable energy projects.

Energy created by wind turbines, solar panels and the anaerobic digestion of animal waste would be stored and then either sold to the main electricity grid or used locally through the new micro grid.

There are also plans to use wind energy to power an ammonia production plant in Ardglass which could produce an alternative fuel for use in tractors and fishing boats, and fertiliser for use on farms.

The initiative is attracting major interest from renewable energy firms, Invest NI and the Department of the Environment because of the potential for such storage schemes across Northern Ireland.

The use of such renewable energy technologies is virtually unheard of in the UK and Ireland but is common place in Germany where there is a big drive towards green energy.

Two local community groups and a group of farmers are behind the Lecale proposals which are likely to attract funding to allow the development of a feasibility study into the initiative.

Ardglass Development Association and Ballynahinch Community Association have teamed up with Down District Farmers for Renewable Energy and are likely to begin bringing forward projects in the coming months.

If the Lecale project works, it could mean up to 70 rural areas across Northern Ireland could become largely

independent by managing and storing their own energy and then selling surplus when it was needed for urban areas.

The overall project, which is being subtitled as a ‘community based intelligent energy programme’ would include:

• The construction of two large 2.5 megawatt wind turbines and a series of smaller 250 kilowatt turbines.

• The development of solar energy sites involving large solar panels of 5.1 megawatt, and smaller roof and ground mounted panels.

• The construction of two anaerobic digestion plants which would create biogas through the disposal of animal waste from local farms.

• The development of isothermal compressed air storage facilities where energy would be used to compress air into storage vessels. This energy would then be recreated when the compressed air is released.

• Wind energy from farm-based turbines would be stored in large batteries for use on the farms or sent to the compressed air storage facility for storage.

• An ammonia production plant at Ardglass harbour which would produce ammonia at low cost through electrolysis.

Killough farmer, Alan Montgomery, is chairman of Down District Farmers for Renewable Energy, and believes rural energy generation and storage could be extremely important for Northern Ireland in the future.

“Renewable energy makes sense,” he said. “Our power stations are coming to the end of the useful life so where is our power going to come from?

“People need to be asking these questions now.”