Electricity is the very life blood of a modern economy and is essential to both our economic and social well-being. At a fundamental level, we need electricity to live, work and play. The world finds itself is in a situation where there are rising concerns over energy security, global warming and eventual fossil fuel depletion – leading to an increased interest in all forms of renewable energy, particularly wind power.

Wind is a significant renewable resource which can be deployed in a cost effective manner in Ireland and can secure our energy future in a sustainable way.

In 2009, the EU introduced the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC), encouraging the creation of forms of power that are less harmful to the environment. This Directive means that by 2020, 20% of energy used across the EU must be renewable. Each Member State now has a target defining how much of the energy it consumes must be renewable by this deadline. 

The energy resources which cannot be exhausted and can be used again and again are called renewable energy resources. For example solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy and hydroelectric etc. 

The energy resources which can be exhausted one day and cannot be used repeatedly are called non-renewable energy resources. The example of non-renewable energy resources are coal, petroleum, natural gases etc.

6) Biomass is burned in the Edenderry  power station. What is biomass and is it renewable?
Biomass is organic waste, and yes, it is renewable.

7) Is the wind farm an example of renewable and non-renewable energy? Give some information about the wind farm.
It is renewable. 
Information about the Mount Lucas wind farm:
28 turbines generate 84 MW of energy, enough to power 45.000 houses per year.
It displaces 125.000 tonnes greenhouse gases every year. 
 
8) Why wind energy?
Electricity is the very life blood of a modern economy and is essential to both our economic and social well-being. At a fundamental level, we need electricity to live, work and play. The world finds itself is in a situation where there are rising concerns over energy security, global warming and eventual fossil fuel depletion – leading to an increased interest in all forms of renewable energy, particularly wind power.

Bord na Móna is a semi-state company created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946.

Bord na Mónas original industry was railway tracks.

Bord na Móna has diversified into the Peat indust.

I think it’s a good business move, as railways were slowly becoming less needed and the Peat industry was also growing.

Renewable energy is forms of energy that can be used over and over again, whereas non-renewable forms of energy can only be used once then it's gone, a one and done type of system if you will. 

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES | NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
Water | Nuclear
Wind | Natural Gas
Solar | Fossil Fuels

biomass

ˈbʌɪə(ʊ)mas/

TYPES OF BIOMASS
Garbage 
Wood
Crops
Natural Gas

           Give some information about the windfarm.

In 1992 Bord na Mona commissioned Ireland’s first wind farm in Bellacorick, Mayo.

Soon Bord na Mona moved to create the wind farm in Mount Lucas, the peat production there ceased in 2005 this sparked the planning for the Mount Lucas Wind farm. 

First they needed experts of the land to judge where the ground was strong and shallow enough to place a wind turbine. If the ground was strong enough but very deep they would put in extra support into the ground, this is called the foundation.

 The supports do tend to vary based on where the turbines are being placed but in Bord na Mona they used tall pillars made of cement buried into the ground.

The transportation of the turbines is done piece by piece brought in by trucks at night time in order to avoid traffic jams. The process of building the turbine is done over a two week period and is completed with a building team and a crane.

We were presented a video of a sped up process of a piece being brought up by the crane to be placed down. From the video we could tell it is a very long process.

A diagram of the inside of the turbines was showed to us explaining how a wind turbine functions. An interesting fact I learned was that when the wind blows from (for example) a Northwest direction, the turbine is able to turn into that direction.

Also there is nothing but the wind as it’s energy source to make the blades of the turbine turn, meaning the wind turbines are a completely clean energy source. 

They then showed us a virtual reality video, in which we got to see what it was like working inside the turbine and what it was like to stand on top of it. It was a very interesting experience overall.

This scheme arose from the development of a waste management facility by Bord na Móna in 2008. Since the inception of the scheme, 307 grants totalling €2.1 million have been awarded to projects in these communities.

 

Bord na Móna’s support has seen a significant improvement in the road infrastructure through the Co. Offaly town. “Our flagship projects are the Community Centre, the Town Hall, and part of the GAA facilities,” said community activist Deloreen Brereton

 

Their land is a huge asset and they will continue to produce energy but it will be through biomass, solar, landfill gas, wind, and waste to energy.