asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development if he will make a statement on the use of pig slurry to provide heat energy, as recently reported by scientists at University College, Galway.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pig Slurry Usage.
11.
In 1976, Professor Dunican of the Department of Microbiology, UCG, commenced a project entitled "The Production of Methane from Agricultural and Dairy Wastes". Funds were provided under the University/Industry Co-operation Grants Scheme. It was operated by the National Science Council at the time but has since been continued by the National Board for Science and Technology pending evaluation of various possible funding mechanisms. The purpose is to bring the skills of university researchers to bear on the many technical problems of the industrial sector.
Under the UIC Scheme the board provides 75 per cent of funds required for projects and the remainder derives from firms who would hope to exploit the results of research. The main aims of Professor Dunican's project were as follows:
(1) To carry out a feasibility study, on the production of inexpensive packaged methane production plant for use with effluents from piggeries and from creameries.
(2) To carry out the research and development to test such packaged methane plants under laboratory and industrial situations.
The project finished at the end of 1978 and has been most successful. Professor Dunican sees considerable opportunity for using his new digestion process throughout the country. He sees the application in piggeries as a first, though important, step. The development allows more methane to be obtained more quickly from organic wastes than was possible hitherto. He is taking steps at present to get commercial applications underway.
The advantages of treating animal waste for methane production are as follows: (1) energy is derived from the hydrocarbon methane; (2) pollution is reduced; (3) residues may be used as fertiliser; (4) noxious smells are removed.