Government set for power shake-up

Parliament Buildings, Stormont

Northern Ireland's seat of government, Stormont, is set for a major power shake-up.

It is green power, but it has nothing to do with politics.

Later this month, NI Secretary Peter Hain will unveil a multi-million pound plan to make the province more environmentally friendly.

Government buildings are going to be in the front line of the green power drive.

Even when the politicians are not in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, the lights are still on and the energy bills still have to be paid.

Just keeping the building warm is a major drain on the public purse. Down in the boiler room of democracy the meter is running.

An average domestic fuel bill might be £500 to £700 a year, but the one boiler room at Stormont uses £200,000 of fuel a year - fuel which has to be imported.

However, it could be produced locally and government believes it can do just that.

Wood chips may soon be fuelling the boiler rooms, not only at Stormont but at government buildings across Northern Ireland.

Willow burns just as well as oil or gas. It can be grown by local farmers as a renewable energy crop.

Farmer John Martin has been growing willow

One farmer who has been growing willow, John Martin, said: "In the middle of June, I was monitoring a small number of rods for my own interest and they were growing between two and three inches a day at that time," he said.

The potential for energy crops looks limitless. The Stormont estate alone could use 3,000 - 4,000 acres of willow, it is reckoned.

The government will also be addressing ways of harnessing power from wind farms.

"At the moment, we have around 3-4% of renewable energy generating electricity onto the system, about 6.3% of our electricity must be supplied from renewable sources by 2012," said Andy McCrea of Action Renewables.

Peter Hain has earmarked £50m to help wean Northern Ireland off an expensive addiction to imported fossil fuels.

Later in January, Mr Hain will lay out just how that energy rehabilitation programme will work.