RASLRES: Regional Approaches to Stimulating Local Renewable Energy Solutions

The Western Region of Ireland is poised to reap the benefit of an almost €3 million multi-national bio-energy project being led by the Western Development Commission. The RASLRES project is a European-funded initiative that aims to benefit the Western Region in a number of crucial areas related to renewable bio-mass, namely supplying local energy from local sources and delivering sustainable jobs to rural areas. At a meeting of regional stakeholders in Carrick-on-Shannon 12th March, it was disclosed that already the WDC has received around 125 enquiries about involvement in the RASLRES project from regional businesses and organisations, which has overwhelmed and delighted the partners according to Ian Brannigan, Regional Development Manager for the WDC.

“The interest in being part of this innovative project in the West is clear from the stir it has already created. We see RASLRES as being a stepping stone to enable rural areas to use their natural resources to create sustainable economic development and help Ireland reach emissions targets in the process.”

Bernadette Phelan, Regional Development Executive at the WDC explained, “A lot of the forestry plantations in the west were planted during the 1980s and 1990s. This resource is therefore at an age suitable for first and subsequent thinnings so the project is very timely. Developing the wood energy market will create a market for these forestry thinnings and will encourage farmers to actively manage their forestry which in the long run results in a better timber harvest when the trees are fully mature.”

WDC research shows that the West could develop an indigenous, sustainable, renewable energy resource delivering 11% of the regions’ heat needs by 2020 and create up to 900 additional jobs. To deliver 11% of the region’s heat needs would require over 470,000 tonnes of wood fuel, generate an additional €15 million to the economy and provide €1.7 million to the west’s farming sector each year. The jobs created would be spread across the entire supply chain from private forest owners, to haulage companies, to plumbing, engineering, and electrical companies. Additionally the estimated CO2 emissions saved annually would equate to taking over 92,000 cars off the roads in the west of Ireland

Given the high level of interest already shown in being part of the RASLRES project, Brannigan stated that formal expressions of interest are now being sought from wood growers, suppliers or potential end users of wood energy. Brannigan urged people, however, to submit their expressions of interest for consideration immediately by contacting Ian Brannigan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .