- eHeat Ireland national conference calls for Irish industry to decarbonise heating through adoption of renewable electricity
- Enterprise Ireland detail €350 million in grant supports for decarbonisation
The third annual eHeat Ireland national conference took place at Croke Park on the 14th November, with attendees hearing an urgent call for the decarbonisation of heating in Irish industry through the adoption of renewable energies including electricity.
Taking place against the backdrop of the COP29 discussions in Baku, the eHeat Ireland conference heard how greater – and faster – electrification of heat can help Irish industry and business to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. By reducing carbon emissions, the electrification of heat can help Ireland get closer to its ambitious climate targets.
Tom Marren, CEO of renewable energy specialist Astatine and a leading voice at the conference, emphasised the gravity of the situation: “From Dublin to Baku and around the world, alarm bells are ringing louder and louder as we continue to cross lines that increase the risk of generating irreversible environmental change.
“One of the biggest problems is our continued dependence on fossil fuels as a way of generating heat at an industrial level,” said Mr Marren. “We have to cut the cord with fossil fuels as quickly as possible and embrace electricity as a clean and cost-effective way of generating heat for Irish business and industry.
“Electrification can help to decarbonise Ireland’s power grid and pave the way for a more sustainable future for Irish industry,” he said.
In addition to Astatine, the eHeat Ireland national conference featured a range of industry experts, policy makers and stakeholders including SEAI, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Olvondo Technology, Coca Cola, Irish Distillers, GridBeyond, and more.
Enterprise Ireland and IDA present details of grant funding
Elsewhere at this year’s eHeat national conference, as Ireland continues to transition towards renewable energy, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland detailed the €300 million available in grant supports for decarbonisation.
Other highlights of the eHeat conference included:
- A groundbreaking presentation by Stefano Vittor, Managing Director of Olvondo Technology, on the company’s steam heat pump dairy case study from the Netherlands. This case study showcased the installation of the HighLift heat pump at FrieslandCampina’s plant in Maasdam, helping to drive a 6% reduction in energy consumption and a 15% decrease in CO2 emissions.
- A talk by James Macnaghten, CEO of Caldera, about converting thermal storage waste energy into steam. This discussion highlighted the potential of thermal energy storage in reducing industrial carbon footprints and showcased Caldera’s innovative approach to harnessing waste energy for sustainable industrial heating.
- Cera Slevin of Climate Matters facilitated the case study session, where an excellent panel of industry experts from Irish Distillers, Coca Cola, Dale Farm Group, and Ahascragh Distillery shared their decarbonisation journey. This session provided valuable insights into the practical steps and strategies these companies are taking to reduce their carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy sources.