Ireland’s Bord na Móna taking heat over PKS feedstock

In Ireland, state-owned Bord na Móna is taking heat for using what is being called unsustainable palm kernel shells used for co-firing in its Edenderry, Co Offaly power station. In 2016, it purchased 36,000 metric tons of PKS, 75% of which comes from Indonesia, while total imports since 2010 reach around 150,000 tons. Currently about half of the feedstock comes from domestic sources but that ratio has been shrinking. Concerns about the sustainability of the supply chain has forced the company to ensure third party verification despite most residues not being part of certification schemes.