AFBI renewable energy centre wins major award

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) has received an award in the category of ‘Best Renewables Installation within the Education, Healthcare and Public Sector’ for its Environment and Renewable Energy Centre at the recent Action Renewables Energy Awards.

Chris Johnston, Renewable Energy (RE) Project Leader in AFBI, said “Receiving an award in this category from such a well-informed and influential judging panel recognises the relevance and current importance of the DARD-funded research in land based renewables and related activities. This award clearly recognises that AFBI research is being effectively transferred into industry knowledge and is supporting NI’s renewable energy sector now and into the future.”

“This was a highly competitive  category which received a large number of entries and therefore to receive second prize  is an excellent result.”

The independent judging panel was made up of industry experts and leaders in the field of renewables from across Northern Ireland including: Andy McCrea, Managing Director, Renewables Connect; Carol Forster, Operations Manager, Northern Ireland Environment Link; Geraint Ellis, Chair of Environmental Planning at Queen’s University; Jim Kitchen, Director, Sustainable NI; and Terry Waugh, Deputy Director, Action Renewables.  AFBI congratulates South West College – Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies (CREST), Enniskillen on winning first place in the category.

AFBI’s Environment and Renewable Energy Centre  was established at its Hillsborough site in 2009 with the aim of conducting research on sustainable renewable energy systems for the agricultural sector in Northern Ireland. It is funded directly by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to provide evidence to support policy development and provide key research results for transfer to the local agri-food sector.

Notes to editors: 

Energy Centre

AFBI’s Environment and Renewable Energy Centre at Hillsborough includes two biomass boilers, an anaerobic digestion combined heat and power generator  and a gas boiler as well as a 6ha short rotation coppice willow plantation and waste nutrient recycling technologies.

Low Carbon

 The low carbon benefits of purpose grown biomass energy crops is also strongly highlighted and presented by AFBI at conferences and to visiting groups.  AFBI’s integration of the different energy generation technologies are aspects of innovation which will have far reaching effects on the future of N. Ireland’s energy security and will affect the region’s low carbon future with indigenous fuel production and compliance with EU environmental directives. The heat that is generated in AFBI’s Environment and Renewable Energy Centre is distributed around AFBI’s Hillsborough site to provide the milking parlour’s hot water and other heating requirements via a district heating loop. Electricity from the combined heat and power generator and solar cells help offset the site’s overall power consumption.

AFBI’s renewable energy and environment research is used by policy makers, such as the Department of Regional Development in its “Long Term Water Strategy”, where sustainable waste water treatment is now a goal.

Knowledge Transfer

AFBI’s promotional activities highlight and demonstrate the benefits of renewable, environmental and low carbon activities. The Institute hosts a large numbers of visits and seminars from farmer groups, student groups, SMEs from the energy, environment and water treatment sectors and many more. AFBI now has extensive public engagement demonstrating the beneficial aspects of energy generation, biomass production, environmental protection, carbon sequestration and waste water management.

More information

AFBI carries out high-quality technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for DARD and other Government departments, public bodies and commercial companies.

AFBI's Vision is “Scientific excellence in Northern Ireland … serving the world”.

 All media enquiries to AFBI Press Office.

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