For the third year in a row, Airtricity, Ireland’s largest independent energy utility, has won the national Green Energy Award 2011. 66% of the electricity supplied by Airtricity to its 500,000 electricity customers comes from renewable sources.
“We recognise that small changes in the way our customers consume their energy can make a big difference to Ireland’s CO2 emissions as well as to the size of our customers’ energy bills,” comments Kevin Greenhorn, chief executive of Airtricity. “The simplest and most effective way for electricity customers to reduce their carbon footprint is to choose Airtricity for electricity that emits on average nearly 60% less C02 per MWh. However, once this first step is taken, we then work with our customers to help them reduce their energy consumption through practical energy efficiency advice and actions.”
Airtricity is Ireland’s biggest investor in green energy. From its foundation in 1997 to the end of its current financial year (April 1st 2011), Airtricity has invested Eur1billion in renewable energy in Ireland – an investment that is unmatched by any other energy company in the Irish energy sector.
Airtricity is powered from Ireland’s largest wind generation portfolio, which comprises over 500MW of renewable energy from 25 wind farms across the country, including power from Ireland’s largest wind farm – the 72MW Meentycat Wind Farm in County Donegal. In 2010, Airtricity recorded 854 GWh of wind energy output in Ireland – the largest of any supplier in the market.
Airtricity is also Ireland’s largest renewable energy developer with 730MW of Irish onshore and offshore wind farm generation in construction or with consent for development, in addition to over 500MW of generation already in operation.
CAPTION:
Pictured at the Green Awards 2011 was Gerald O’Neill (left) from Amarach presenting the Green Energy Award to Kevin Greenhorn (centre), chief executive of Airtricity, and Jason Cooke (right), head of communications at Airtricity. Picture Conor McCabe Photography.