The £5million (€6million) tripartite BioMara bio-marine energy research project will be spearheaded by marine scientists based in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. They will investigate ways of converting seaweeds and plant algae into fuel as an alternative to the use of food crops to produce bio-fuels.
Addressing stakeholders at the event in the Northern Ireland Science Park, Arlene Foster said: “The BioMara project is at the cutting edge of renewable fuel technology. The work will put our local universities at the forefront of worldwide marine bio-energy research and increase our knowledge in this key growth area. While the research is in its infancy, it could help provide the answer to reducing our dependence on costly imported fossil fuels for road transport and their high carbon emissions.
“The project also holds great promise for future economic development. There is undoubtedly significant potential for new economic activity and skilled 'green jobs' from emerging renewable marine and bio-energy technologies.”
The Minister concluded: “The BioMara project is an excellent example of practical regional cooperation between Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland on an issue of fundamental concern to our economies – sustainable energy. The European Union is committed to getting 10% of road transport fuel from renewable sources by 2020 and I commend the Special European Union Programmes Body for its financial support for the project.”
The Biomara marine research project, which is being funded in part by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in the Republic of Ireland and the European Union, is aimed at facilitating experts to pioneer research into the production of renewable marine biomass energy.
Technical experts from Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland will be supported through the ‘Northern Ireland, Border Region of Ireland and western Scotland INTERREG IVA Programme’. They will carry out innovative research into the production of renewable energy from seaweeds and marine algae from shared seas, harnessing the expertise and resources of the three regions.
Speaking at the event, Dr Michele Stanley from the Scottish Association for Marine Sciences in Oban who is leading development work on the cross-border project, said: "With global fossil fuel supplies dwindling and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels affecting climate change, there is an urgent need for new, renewable fuel sources with low net carbon emissions. Marine algae could be part of the solution. Seaweeds grow rapidly, harness carbon dioxide and have simple structures which make them easily converted to fuel."
Noting that his Department was represented at the launch by Bob Hanna, his Chief Technical Advisor, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan said: "DCENR welcomes the arrival of the west of Scotland into the European Union’s INTERREG programme. There are many areas of common interest between Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland in the field of energy, and it is very good that the programme allows some of these to be addressed. We commend the Scottish Association for Marine Sciences and all the project partners for their excellent contribution and look forward to a successful outcome.”
Howard Keery, Northern Ireland Director of Joint Technical Secretariat of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) also addressed the stakeholders.
He said: “The BioMara project is a significant INTERREG IVA collaborative energy initiative involving Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Western Scotland. It strongly meets the programme’s objective of cross-border co-operation for a more sustainable region.
“With its emphasis on demonstrating the feasibility and viability of producing mari-fuels from marine biomass as an alternative to agri-fuels production from terrestrial land plants, Biomara is hugely innovative. It will assist in bringing about significant environmental sustainability as well as making an invaluable contribution towards meeting current challenging EU targets on renewable energy across the regions.”
Work began on the four year research study in January 2009.
Notes to Editors:
1. The BioMara tripartite (Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland) research project aims to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of locally producing mari-fuels from marine biomass derived from seaweed and plant sources (algae) as an alternative to agri-fuel production from land based plants. A Scottish Stakeholder event took place in Oban on 17 April 2009.
2. The Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) Programme was approved by the EC in November 2007 and formally launched in Belfast in April 2008 by Commissioner Hübner. Due to changes in EU rules on geographical eligibility, regions of Western Scotland, from Dumfries & Galloway to Highlands, now form part of the area eligible for the programme.
3. The total project value is around approx £5million (€6million). Around 65% of funding will be directed to the lead partner, the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) based in Oban, and the remainder split between the other partners - University of Strathclyde; the Questor Centre, Queens University Belfast and University of Ulster; the Centre for Renewable Energy at Dundalk Institute of Technology (CREDIT) and the Institute of Technology, Sligo.
4. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, NI and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources have committed to match-fund the elements of the project being undertaken by their respective research bodies.
5. Along with the recently approved ISLES project which aims to make a regional case for an marine electricity grid network between Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the Biomara project consolidates the region's success under the Cross Border Cooperation Programme; bringing total investment of €256million to Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
6. The Cross-Border Territorial Cooperation Programme for Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland 2007-2013 (the INTERREG IVA Programme) is a European Union supported Structural Funds Programme which seeks to address the economic and social problems which result from the existence of borders. The INTERREG IVA Programme will continue the earlier Programme's strong focus on Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, by assisting two categories of project: (i) North South projects, as before; (ii) Tripartite projects that involve Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Scotland. Every project will therefore have an Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, element. The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) will be Managing Authority for the new Programme.The INTERREG IVA 2007-2013 Programme for Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland is worth €256million.
7. The Lead Project Partner organisation in BioMara is The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), one of the UK’s leading independent marine research institutes. Based on the west coast of Scotland, its 150 staff conduct research on climate change, marine renewable energy, sustainable use of the marine environment, mitigations to resource extraction, and the Arctic system. SAMS is a Collaborative Centre of the UK Natural Environment Research Council and an Academic Partner of UHI Millennium Institute, Scotland.
8. BioMara scientific partners from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are available for interview today at the Northern Ireland Science Park, Belfast. Contact Dr R. Elaine Groom, QUESTOR Centre, e-mail: e.groom@qub.ac.uk Tel: 028 9097 5577 Mobile: 07789 758126.
9. For media enquiries, please contact DETI Press Office on 028 9052 9297. Outside office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
10. For queries on the research study contact Laila Sadler, The Scottish Association for Marine Science: laila.sadler@sams.ac.uk Tel.: 07747 666399
