DEAR EDITOR,
I read with some interest your article in 20 September 2025 edition of the Irish Farmers Journal, titled “Heydon wants to put energy into co-ops”. The article outlined some remarks made by Minister Heydon at the INHFA AGM regarding the potential of energy co-operatives.
The same article opined that the minister “has thrown down the gauntlet to ICOS and the co-op movement to get more active in the renewable energy space”. I am pleased to note that ICOS and the co-op movement has long taken up this gauntlet and have been putting our energy into developing co-operative solutions to enable farmer and community participation in the renewable energy economy for several years.
I draw your attention to the Comhar Bia project, which looks at collaborative co-owned structures for biorefineries involving farmers, co-operatives, their communities, industry and research partners. These biorefineries can produce renewable biomethane energy among other outputs, such as sustainable fertiliser substitutes and bio-based materials, while creating value from agricultural by-products. Our objective is to ensure fair and equitable participation by farmers, their co-operatives, and local communities in these projects. By embedding co-operative ownership structures in this sector, it will be possible to:
Enhance farm viability and resilience through farm diversification.Deliver on the Climate Action Plan 2024 targets.Contribute directly to our biomethane production targets.Support Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan objective of strengthening rural economies.Align with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and Green Deal commitments to a sustainable bioeconomy.In parallel, significant work has been done over the past decade on advising and advocating on behalf of farmers and local communities that want to produce their own renewable energy via RESS or any other means.
ICOS welcomes the recognition of the central role that farmers and rural communities must play in Ireland’s energy transition.
Perhaps it is time to throw down the gauntlet to the minister and his cabinet colleagues in other departments to adequately fund the sector.
DEAR EDITOR,
I read with some interest your article in 20 September 2025 edition of the Irish Farmers Journal, titled “Heydon wants to put energy into co-ops”. The article outlined some remarks made by Minister Heydon at the INHFA AGM regarding the potential of energy co-operatives.
The same article opined that the minister “has thrown down the gauntlet to ICOS and the co-op movement to get more active in the renewable energy space”. I am pleased to note that ICOS and the co-op movement has long taken up this gauntlet and have been putting our energy into developing co-operative solutions to enable farmer and community participation in the renewable energy economy for several years.
I draw your attention to the Comhar Bia project, which looks at collaborative co-owned structures for biorefineries involving farmers, co-operatives, their communities, industry and research partners. These biorefineries can produce renewable biomethane energy among other outputs, such as sustainable fertiliser substitutes and bio-based materials, while creating value from agricultural by-products. Our objective is to ensure fair and equitable participation by farmers, their co-operatives, and local communities in these projects. By embedding co-operative ownership structures in this sector, it will be possible to:
Enhance farm viability and resilience through farm diversification.Deliver on the Climate Action Plan 2024 targets.Contribute directly to our biomethane production targets.Support Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan objective of strengthening rural economies.Align with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and Green Deal commitments to a sustainable bioeconomy.In parallel, significant work has been done over the past decade on advising and advocating on behalf of farmers and local communities that want to produce their own renewable energy via RESS or any other means.
ICOS welcomes the recognition of the central role that farmers and rural communities must play in Ireland’s energy transition.
Perhaps it is time to throw down the gauntlet to the minister and his cabinet colleagues in other departments to adequately fund the sector.
SHARING OPTIONS