Business group meet Economy Minister in Cookstown to discuss NI’s first large-scale farm slurry biorefinery

A pioneer flagship programme facilitated by the Centre for Competitiveness (CforC) and supported by CASE at Queens University, the Mid Ulster cluster project is made up of companies including Tobermore, CEMCOR, Alltech and Road Safety Contracts. It is ready to move forward towards implementation.

An exemplar project aligned with key department policy objectives it demonstrates another milestone in meeting Northern Ireland’s sustainability and decarbonisation goals.

This innovative project will change the way high volume farm manures are handled and transformed into biomethane gas, as well as producing value added new products supporting other sectors and markets.

Mr Murphy met with members of the cluster at CEMCOR cement works in Cookstown. The discussion focussed on the current development, opportunities and challenges arising from this innovative cluster, and its societal and cross sectoral industry benefits for Northern Ireland.

Reflecting on the meeting, CforC Director Dr Paul Madden thanked Minister Murphy for engaging with the group and listening to their plans for the project.

“Through the construction of a 10-megawatt biomethane facility in Northern Ireland, this project will transform how high-volume farm manures are handled and has the potential to enhance energy security throughout the island of Ireland.

“The goals of the cluster are very much aligned with the minister’s, and his department’s, ambition to promote sustainable economic development, so the group welcomed the opportunity to meet and discuss plans which it believes can play an important role in reducing the overall carbon footprint of the agricultural industry.

“Facilitating regional growth projects is a key objective for the Centre for Competitiveness and so we were keen to highlight the spirt of collaboration and innovation found within the cluster, and we thank the Minister for taking the time to engage so fulsomely and learn more about this exciting development.”

CforC Project Technical Lead, Dr James Young, stated that “in addition to the environmental advantages of this pioneering technology, investing in a slurry biorefinery can also add value to the local economy through job creation, new product development and support for other sectors and markets.”

Emphasising the importance of supporting the aims of the cluster, Minister Murphy said “Advancing decarbonisation is central to the aims of my Economic Plan and the Department for the Economy wants to support groups, such as the Mid-Ulster Biorefinery and Circular Economy Cluster, to leverage the vast opportunities out there to create growth in a sustainable way.

“Mid-Ulster has long been associated with engineering expertise and innovation and firms in this region have the potential to become world leaders in the net zero space. Advancing this will bring benefits across the whole economy which is why the cluster has my full support.”