Future of farming

Serious technological innovations taking place down the byroads of County Limerick, Laura Roddy reports.

28 June 2017

Brothers Jack O'Connor (left - founder and chief technology officer) and Declan O'Connor (right - chief executive officer) stand in front of the BHSL Energy Centre prior to it being shipped to Maryland last week. Irish agri-tech business BHSL has agreed a $3m pilot project with the State of Maryland to trial its pioneering manure-to-energy technology which is aimed at transforming the environmental impact of the global poultry industry. BHSL employs 28 people at its headquarters in Ballagh, Coun

Declan O' Connor, BHSL, Kantoher, Co. Limerick. Photo: Donal O' Leary

BHSLShortlisted for EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 and most recently the Irish Times Innovation Awards, BHSL is based in Kantoher, Limerick, and is the forward-thinking company that has invented a machine that turns chicken manure into heat energy.

BHSL

Shortlisted for EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 and most recently the Irish Times Innovation Awards, BHSL is based in Kantoher, Limerick, and is the forward-thinking company that has invented a machine that turns chicken manure into heat energy.

Brothers Jack and Declan O’Connor are the brains behind the company, which laid its eggs back in the 1990s when Jack, a poultry farmer, was told he could no longer spread poultry manure on his farmyard because it was entering nearby waterways and causing damage.

The huge cost involved with hauling the high-nutrient litter away to more inland areas in Tipperary urged Jack to put his thinking cap on and look to alternative methods of getting rid of the waste.

Carrying out research in places such as the University of Lisbon, he developed a new system of renewable energy technology that converts poultry manure to heating for chicken houses on poultry farms.

The by-product of the process is an easy transportable, high P and K fertiliser.

The system attracts green supports, which on top of fuel savings and improved production efficiencies, significantly improves the bottom line for the poultry producer.

When it worked on his own farm, he decided it was something that would be useful to other farmers too and so he brought his brother, Declan along – who at the time had been working in London as an accountant.

They established BHSL, which has been growing from strength to strength, testing and creating new technologies and branching into the US and European markets.

According to Jack when it comes to poultry production, energy amounts to about 15% of the total costs of production. So anything off that means more money in the producer’s pocket. And to a greater or lesser extent, the same applies no matter where in the world you farm. New appointees to the board include former chief executive of Kerry Group Denis Brosnan and former chief executive of the ESB Padraig McManus. In February 2017, the business embarked on a funding round of €7m that’s aimed at boosting its global sales presence.

Contact: 069-85926 or www.bhsl.com