Following an application in October last, planning approval has now been granted for a bio-diesel plant near Thurles.
G.R.O. Oil Ltd have been granted approval by North Tipperary Co. Council to construct a bio-diesel production facility at Manselstown, Ballyduff, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Included in the permission is leave to construct twelve bunded storage tanks, a lab, a process building, an administration building and other ancillary buildings. The proposed plant must operate with an integrated pollution control licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2008 Centenary Thurles Co-Op finalised contracts with the Cork company, for the sale of this site near Thurles, which had planning permission for this 40,000 tonne processing plant.
What Are The Advantages of Bio-diesel
Locally grown seed is a strengthening market especially where imported oils such as palm oil are seen as environmentally damaging due to rain forest clearance especially in Asian countries. It was then felt that offering the opportunity to grow alternative crops to farmers here in Tipperary, would greatly enhance the sustainability of the region and provide a substitute crop for many tillage growers following the decline of the sugar beet industry.
G.R.O. Oil Ltd. is a Cork based company, established in 2004, manufacturing bio-diesel from rapeseed, which is ready for use in any diesel engine without any modifications required. Bio-diesel is renewable and it has a closed loop cycle, with only the CO2 absorbed by the growing plant being emitted from the engine during the combustion cycle. It is a clean burning renewable fuel made from vegetable oil, animal fats or recycled cooking oil. It can be used in compression ignition (diesel) engines with no modifications. Bio-diesel is simple to use, biodegradable, non-toxic and free from sulphur and aromatics.
In February 2007, Minister Noel Dempsey announced that Ireland would move to a biofuels obligation in 2009, where fuel suppliers would be required to ensure that biofuels represent a certain percentage of their annual fuel sales. In announcing the obligation, the Minister set targets of 5.75% market penetration by 2010 and 10% by 2020.
Goldrop from G.R.O. Oil is manufactured to EN14214 which is the recognized European standard for cleanliness, purity and combustion quality.
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