Three major Northern Ireland agri food companies have taken the first step towards setting up a new 30 megawatt power plant aimed at turning chicken waste into electricity.

Rose Energy, a company created by O'Kane Poultry, Moy Park and Glenfarm Holdings, recently started a public consultation process prior to submitting a planning application for the construction of a £100m biomass power plant near Glenavy, County Antrim.

Background information on the project is being sent to residents and businesses in the Glenavy area.

Rose Energy director, Mike Alcorn said: "This is an exciting project for Northern Ireland, using proven technology to deliver huge benefits to the province on two key fronts - improving the environment and generating renewable energy."

Support for proposal

This environmental challenge is due to an EU Directive that came into force in January 2007, restricting the amount of nitrogen farmers can spread on their land. The company believes using poultry bedding as a fuel source will enable Northern Ireland to comply with this directive by removing a huge amount of material which previously would have been destined for land-spread.

The 30 megawatt power generating plant is to be fuelled mainly by poultry bedding. As well as employing 30 people at the plant, the project would also play a vital role in safeguarding over 7000 existing jobs in the poultry and food sector, said the company.

Depending on the success of their planning application, the directors hope the new plant will be operational by late 2010/early 2011.

• Rose Energy was formed in response to Northern Ireland's obligation to generate 12% of its electricity from indigenous renewable sources by 2012. The initiative is also the outcome of an Invest NI-supported feasibility study which explored alternatives for dealing with poultry bedding.