A submission has been made to Government outlining the supports that should be put in place for farmers to establish a biomass programme.
The submission, from the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA), says biomass energy production could provide an opportunity for diversification on farms as pressure increases on dairy, livestock and tillage margins. Biomass crops include short rotation growth of willow or poplar trees for coppicing, or energy production from animal wastes or manures.
Mr Tommy Cooke, chairman of ICMSA rural development committee, said he welcomed the international report from the European Biomass Association and the Worldwide Fund for Nature that using biomass instead of coal to generate electricity could significantly lower the world's carbon dioxide emissions and create jobs.
"The results of this report confirm what ICMSA has being saying throughout our efforts to promote the growth of biomass energy in Ireland," Mr Cooke said.
"The report suggests that biomass could supply 15 per cent of electricity demand from industrialised counties by 2020, if the sector is given the opportunity to develop," he went on.
"It is time that Ireland started to take this issue seriously," Mr Cooke said.
ICMSA believed that biomass and energy crops offer significant opportunities for diversification for farmers away from traditional commodities, he added.