Cork City Council has started electricity generation at Tramore Valley Park.

The council consumes approximately 30 million units of energy per annum of electricity, fuel and gas.

As part of the National Climate Change policy, Cork City Council is required to reduce its energy consumption by 33% by the year 2020 which equates to 10 million units per annum.

The former Kinsale Road landfill site, now Tramore Valley Park, which ceased accepting waste for landfilling in 2009, will continue to generate methane gas from the three million tonnes of waste deposited over the 40 year lifetime of the landfill site.

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The gas will now be beneficially used to generate electricity for Cork City Council and also ensure that the Council meets its EPA license obligations in regard to landfill gas treatment.

Michael O'Brien, Senior Engineer, stated: "The electricity generation project will generate 3 million units of energy per annum that will be sold to Vayu Energy. The project, which has been funded by Cork City Council, will reduce emissions to the environment and will also substantially contribute to the Council’s 2020 energy reduction targets, as well as showcasing an innovative project in the Tramore Valley Park.

"It is timely that the project be commissioned in the same week as the global summit in climate change is taking place in Paris."

(CD/LM)