More than 15,000 people are expected to attend Ireland’s Bioenergy 2008 on June 19.
The event combines a bioenergy technology exhibition, workshops, field excursions and practical demonstrations.

Biomass boiler suppliers, fuel suppliers and heating designers and installers are expected to attend as well as landowners,forestry managers and end users in the domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.

Bioenergy 2008 hosted in Co.Galway is set to eclipse last year's record number of attendees to the event. It is presented jointly by COFORD, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) and Teagasc.

These three organisations will present a one-day conference focused on bioenergy in particular refined wood fuels such as wood chips and pellets and dedicated energy crops and will highlight how bioenergy and wood based fuels have a role in finding a solution to Ireland's fossil fuel dependency.

The conference will highlight the use of bioenergy and raise awareness across all sectors -on the uses and benefits to growing, harvesting and using wood fuels and energy crop products to generate heat, electricity and fuel for homes and businesses.

The Irish government's White Paper on 'Delivering a sustainable energy future for Ireland and bioenergy action plan and its introduction of financial incentives are part of its push for secure energy supplies. Biomass is considered able to meet up to 10% of Ireland's energy needs by 2020, redirecting hundreds of millions of euros into the Irish economy and creating more than 4,000 jobs.

Tony Killeen, Ireland's minister of state, forestry and fisheries will speak at the event.

Bioenergy 2008 will include presentations on subjects including developing local firewood markets, chopped wood gasification boilers, bioenergy district heating solutions and the availability of financial support.

To register, visit www.sei.ie/resourcecentre