Council under fire over plans to replace eco-friendly heating

FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council (FODC) has defended its plans to replace an eco-friendly biomass boiler with a fossil-fuel powered gas system, claiming that it is consistent with the local authority’s net zero ambition.

FODC came under fire after re-tendering for a new heating system for Omagh Leisure Complex. The facility was fitted with a low-emission woodchip boiler in 2008, which was described at the time by Omagh town councillor Paddy McGowan as an “innovative measure… (which showed) the council was coming on leaps and bounds in all aspects of their environmental work.”

However, despite its installation being heralded as a mark of progress 16 years ago, plans are now afoot to remove the biomass boiler and replace it with a gas-burning alternative.

‘ridiculous’

Dromore man, Gavin Winters, owner of Winters Renewables and an outspoken critic of the council’s decision, said it was ‘ridiculous’ that the council had construed the decision as compliant with environmental targets. “This has to be seen as a backwards step. They say it’s in line with their net zero targets, but it can’t be,” he said.

FODC claim that the replacement boiler is “fully consistent with our strategic objectives and is expected to improve operational reliability and reduce carbon emissions.”

But Mr Winters alleged that the council’s claim that installing a gas boiler would reduce their carbon emissions was ‘just not true’.

He believes that replacing a 500kw woodchip boiler with a natural gas boiler would release around 250 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Mr Winters added, “How does this contribute to the council’s ambition for a net zero estate by 2036?”

Mr Winters further claimed the decision would have a ‘detrimental impact’ on local business.

“The woodchip boiler encouraged a local fuel supply network, which was part of the thinking behind its installation.

“The timber was sourced locally by RT Haulage. It was then chipped by a local contractor. Then we dried it using waste heat from our anaerobic digester. We then make the short journey from Dromore to Omagh to deliver the fuel.”

‘who knows where?’

“The council couldn’t get a more local fuel supply. Instead of this, they will be now using piped-in gas from who knows where?”

When the council was asked why they initially installed a biomass boiler and why they are reverting back to a gas system, a spokesperson said, “The legacy Omagh District Council was part of a wider consortium which included biomass producers and owners of public sector estates with high energy demand… More recent investment decisions have been informed by technological developments over that period and the council’s net zero ambitions as per its Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy 2020-30.”

The spokesperson added, “The council remains committed to working towards a net zero council by 2040 with a series of milestones on that journey including a net zero estate by 2036.”