The Government has granted approval for the conducting of a major 2D seismic survey that will go a long way towards revealing the true oil and gas exploration potential of Ireland’s Atlantic Margin.

“At a cost of €20 million this is by far the largest regional seismic survey acquired in the Irish offshore, and will provide a regional grid of high-quality seismic data over Ireland’s frontier basins,” says Minister for Natural Resources, Fergus O’Dowd. “The 18,000 km full-fold seismic survey is also designed to infill data gaps that exist, particularly in the Southern Porcupine, Rockall and Hatton basins.”

He continues: “Most importantly, the survey should go a long way towards revealing the true oil and gas potential o fIreland’s frontier basins. The data should allow resource potential to be predicted with much greater confidence and enable both the industry and the Government to adequately evaluate future licensing opportunities.”

The survey will be untertaken byENI Ireland BV in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in the Atlantic waters of the Irish-designated Continental Shelf.

The survey vessel BGP Explorer is operating from Killybegs and the survey will be conducted for a duration of 145 days. Depending on weather conditions, it is possible that part of the survey will be acquired in 2014.

Europeans live longer and healthier lives than in the past, partly due to successful environmental policies that have reduced the exposure to harmful environmental contaminants in air, water and food, according to a new report. However, these contaminants are still a problem, and several new health risks are emerging, for example, from new chemicals, new products and changing lifestyle patterns.

The environment affects human health in multiple ways, according to the report ‘Environment and human health’ published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission’s in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre. While pollutants, noise and other forms of environmental degradation can be harmful, the report underlines the large benefits of access to natural environments for physical and mental wellbeing.

There is large disparity in the environmental conditions across Europe, which is often reflected in different levels of health and life expectancy, according to the report. People with low social status often live in degraded or harmful environments, with potential negative effects on health. Their condition may be further influenced by other factors, including socio-economic status, life style habits and general health status.

As people live longer, the main causes of premature death and disability have become non-communicable, ’lifestyle’-related conditions, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer. In so far as these problems may be linked to environmental conditions, it has become increasingly important to address all these issues together, the report says.

People are usually exposed to multiple environmental factors throughout their lives, and more research is needed to understand the impacts, the report says, especially for the most vulnerable in society – including children, the poor and the elderly.

Science needs to move away from focusing on individual hazards and look instead at the complex, combined effects environmental and lifestyle factors are having on our health, the report says.

Key findings are:

* Global sales of products from the chemicals sector doubled between 2000 and 2009, and there is an increasing range of chemicals on the market, including substances affecting human health.

* There is growing concern about ‘endocrine disrupting chemicals’, which affect the hormone system, found in a wide range of common products including pharmaceuticals, pesticides and cosmetics. Effects are not yet fully understood, but the chemicals may contribute to declining sperm count, genital malformation, impaired neural development, obesity and cancer.

* The report highlights evidence showing the contribution of air pollution to cancer, heart disease, bronchitis and asthma and estimates that air pollution reduces each EU citizen’s life expectancy by an average of 8.5 months.  Recent studies of air pollution suggest that exposure in early life can significantly affect adult health, and the effect of air pollution on pregnancy may be comparable to that of passive smoking. Up to 95% of city dwellers are still exposed to levels of fine particulate matter (PM) above World Health Organisation guidelines, the report says.

* In Europe, an increasing health concern in relation to water quality is pharmaceutical residues and endocrine-disrupting substances, which are not always fully removed by water treatment. Water shortages and water quality issues may be further exacerbated by climate change, the report says.

* Noise can seriously harm health, affecting cognitive development, cardiovascular disease and sleep. Noisy areas are often those with high levels of air pollution, and each factor seems to augment the effect of the other.

* Devices emitting electro-magnetic fields (EMF) such as mobile phones are sometimes considered a possible cancer risk, but there is no conclusive scientific evidence supporting this link. Available data are reviewed regularly by the Commission’s scientific committees. The next review will be published in the second half of 2013.

* Nanotechnology applications might be an emerging risk, as little is known about the effects of nanomaterials in the human body. This will require an adequate assessment of potential risks, to guarantee the safe production of nanomaterials and their safe use in consumer products.

* Green spaces seem to have multiple physical and mental health benefits. There are significant differences in access to these areas across Europe  – all cities in Sweden and Finland have more than 40 % green space within their boundaries, while at the other end of the scale all Hungarian and Greek cities have less than 30 % green space.

Northern Ireland-based construction and engineering company, McLaughlin & Harvey has launched a specialist division which responds directly to the emerging and growing needs of the tidal and wave energy industry. Encompassing McLaughlin & Harvey’s globally renowned marine renewables department, the newly formed ‘Off Shore’ division will build on the company’s vast engineering experience in specialist marine plant and the deployment of tidal energy devices.

Product innovation and world-class solutions are at the core of the new division thanks to the recruitment of a team of marine and engineering experts and a major investment in R&D. This has resulted in the completion of the first phase of a major rig development project which, by harnessing the latest technologies, enables tidal and wave energy converters to be installed on the seabed in a more economically viable way than has previously been available.

Marine energy experts involved in the project believe the new fully tooled and proven solution has the potential to revolutionise the industry by overcoming many of the challenges and excessive costs associated with ocean device installation.

Adam Holland, Marine Renewables Manager, says: “The tidal and wave industry is maturing rapidly and the  announcement demonstrates our commitment to keep ahead of the latest developments; to address the challenges facing the industry; and to develop solutions which deliver cost effective and timely results. This is most evident through our success in developing a unique installation technique for tidal energy device foundations. Suited to a variety of tidal/wave energy turbines and deliverable even in the most extreme conditions, this new technology offers a futuristic solution to today’s energy problems and has already been heralded as an industry breakthrough.”

CAPTION:

David Bell of Invest NI and Adam Holland of McLaughlin & Harvey.

Leading environmental firm SLR Consulting has assisted two Irish property owners in obtaining planning permission for a micro hydroelectric power generation scheme along the Mill River at Buncrana in Donegal. The project will see a former hydropower scheme which had been in place along the river from 1905 up to the mid-1980 re-instated and modernised. Much of the original site infrastructure, including the weir, mill race and pipelines remain in place and will be re-used as part of the proposed development. 

SLR Energy Principal Richard Vernon, says: “Ireland has ambitious targets to increase the use of clean energy, including achieving a renewables contribution to gross electricity consumption of 40 per cent by 2020. Although much of the supply is expected to be sourced from wind, contributions from other sources, including hydropower, will be important. Ireland has abundant rainfall in parts of the country and in the past, many small towns and mills relied on hydropower to provide electricity.”

SLR was initially tasked with taking river flow measurements over a year-long monitoring period to help establish the technical and economic viability of the scheme. Having established that the scheme was feasible the Dublin-based team then prepared pre-planning documentation and commenced informal consultations with planning authorities, statutory bodies and interested third parties.

The consultation process was followed by the preliminary design of the scheme and preparation of a detailed Environmental Impact Statement. This focussed in particular on hydrological, ecological, visual and architectural heritage impacts.  Permission was initially granted in 2012, but following an appeal to the national planning appeals board (An Bord Pleanála) SLR submitted additional information to secure final planning approval.

One of Ireland’s biggest players in the recycling ‘game’, WEEE Ireland, have announced a five year sponsorship of one of Dublin’s most high profile GAA clubs, Kilmacud Crokes. This sponsorship sees WEEE Ireland, the Irish compliance scheme for electrical and battery recycling whose main office is based in South County Dublin, further enhance their links with their local community. WEEE Ireland is also an official supporter of Laura Lynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice who are next door ‘neighbours’ to the Kilmacud Crokes.

Kilmacud GAA club was founded in 1959, with Crokes Hurling Club joining in 1966. The club changed its name to the Kilmacud Crokes GAA Club in 1966 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The club has strong football, hurling, camogie and ladies football teams, as well as an impressive juvenile set up.

Kilmacud Crokes has had several players on both the Dublin Senior football and hurling squads, including current stars Cian O’ Sullivan, Paul Mannion, Kevin Nolan, Rory O’ Carroll, Seán McGrath, Jack Dugan, Ryan O’ Dwyer, Ross O’ Carroll and Niall Corcoran

As part of the five year sponsorship, WEEE Irelandwill be the overall sponsor of the club. This includesnew jerseysfor all of the teams, from Senior to underage, and WEEE Irelandwill work with the club to support overall team development and schools projects in the area. WEEE Ireland are also keen to get all of the teams to help to spread their recycling message, recycle anything with a plug or battery for free with WEEE, to the local community.

WEEE Ireland will also sponsor the Mini All Ireland, which kicks off this June bank Holiday weekend as the first event in the sponsorship. The Mini All-Ireland is a south Dublin GAA tournament for youth teams. Approximately 200 teams will take part in this three week tournament, with each Friday seeing the ‘grand finale’ played.

Bo Browne of WEEE Ireland says: “WEEE Ireland hold free recycling events at community locations across the country every week ensuring WEEE and waste batteries are going through authorised recycling systems and not ending up in landfill or general scrap metal processsing. The scheme organises these with community groups and local associations so this sponsorship feels like a natural fit for us. We hope to have all the Kilmacud Crokes teams spreading the winning recycling message both on and off the field in the years to come!”

Four employees from GE. the leading global player in the power plant life cycle sector, gathered recently at the Bord Gáis Energy Whitegate Power Station to be presented with their internationally recognised City & Guilds certificates and to formally launch the partnership marking GE as an approved City & Guilds centre. The group represents the first employees to undertake the City & Guilds qualifications in Power Plant Operations, Internal Quality Assurance and Assessing Competence. They were presented with their certificates by Minister of State for Research and Innovation Seán Sherlock, TD.

As an approved City & Guilds centre, GE can train their employees using City & Guilds industry standard competency-based qualifications to ensure the plant runs at full potential and that employees at all levels benefit. City & Guilds, a world-leader in vocational education, has a core purpose of enabling people and organisations to develop their skills for personal and economic growth.

It is the first time in Ireland that the City & Guilds qualification Diploma in Electric Power Engineering – Power Plant Operations has ever been delivered.

Ronan Haughey, City & Guilds Development Manager (Europe), comments: “The success of City & Guilds’ relationship with GE Power Generation Services at two locations inIrelandis a clear example of how creating innovative and sustainable relationships with a global corporation can give rise to fantastic results for both the business and its work force.”

The first employees to receive the City & Guilds qualifications: Diploma in Electric Power Engineering – Power Plant Operations, Award in Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Process & Practice and Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment were:

* Shift Supervisors: Owen Hipwell, Bord Gáis Energy Whitegate Power Station, and Paul Carr at Tynagh Power Station

* Andrew Dowling – Operations Manager of Tynagh Power Station

* Colin Murphy – Operations Manager of  Bord Gáis Energy Whitegate Power Station.

This innovative and ground-breaking approach to training in the power plant life cycle sector will result in GE’s operations and maintenance team members gaining formally recognised Diplomas across two state-of-the-art combined-cycle power plant infrastructures maintained by GE in Cork and Galway.

“GE’s Power Generation Services business is committed to providing power plant lifecycle support services to help our customers optimize performance and deliver electricity to consumers globally. This partnership demonstrates GE’s leadership to train operation & maintenance personnel, driving them to the achieve customer service excellence,” explains Dick Ayres, Power Generation Services General Manager forEurope.

CAPTION:

Pictured are: Owen Hipwell, Minister of State for Research and Innovation Seán Sherlock, TD, Kimberly Hill, Paul Carr and Rónán Haughey.

A survey of European regions that have developed sustainable freight transport systems is expected to be completed in the coming weeks as part of a research project aimed at exploring how the Limerick-Shannon Gateway could be developed as a Sustainable Gateway for freight transport.

In 2012, the Mid West Regional Authority (MWRA), in conjunction with the Irish Exporters Association (IEA), was amongst a number of EU Regions appointed to manage the ‘West and East Freight Flows – Weastflows’, an EU co-funded project looking at sustainable logistics for Europe.

Dublin-based Future Analytics, acting on behalf of the MWRA, is presently carrying out the study of selected Weastflows project partners in Scotland, England, Netherlands, Germany and France.

Cllr Gerard Darcy, Cathaoirleach of the MWRA says the Mid West Region is playing its part in Ireland’s drive out of economic recession through export growth. “Firms in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare products and agribusiness all have enormous potential to grow their activities in the region. A crucial factor in this endeavour is the development of world-class Freight Transport and Logistics services supporting these firms across the whole spectrum of Road, Rail, Sea and Air transport. The developing co-operation with the Weastflows partners enables us to bring other experience to Irish issues while also addressing problems in Europe that make the Irish Export Supply Chain sub-optimal.”

MWRA Director Liam Conneally says he believes the Mid West’s location on the western periphery of Europe could result in the Region becoming a strategic freight logistics hub with direct connections to some of Europe’s and the world’s global logistics hubs. “The Mid-West Region is strategically located on the West Coast of Ireland and is an important logistics hub in Ireland with its motorway road capacity, the Shannon Estuary’s deep water berthage capabilities, the newly opened western rail corridor linking Limerick and Galway cities and the newly independent Shannon International Airport all providing strong air, road, rail and port infrastructure capacities for the region” he explains.

Liam. Conneally continues: “The Limerick-Shannon Gateway is at the heart of the region and is an important contributor to the economic development of the region. Through our participation in the Weastflows project, the MWRA is actively working with the IEA and other partners to establish the Limerick-Shannon Gateway as a Sustainable Gateway by improving links with the established Seine Gateway, the Liverpool-Manchester Gateway and the London-Thames Gateway, among others. It is anticipated that the results of the project will feed into future regional planning policy in the Mid West.”

Weastflows is an Interreg IVB North West Europe (NWE) project funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that aims to encourage a shift towards greener freight transport in NWE region.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is calling for innovative entries for the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Energy Awards. Over the last decade entries to the competition from organisations of all sizes have demonstrated energy savings in excess of €500 million. This year SEAI is extending the Awards reach beyond organisations and businesses to communities that have implemented energy efficiency projects across multiple sectors.

Sponsored by Electric Ireland, the Awards reward excellence in energy management amongst Irish organisations of all sizes, recognising their achievements in cutting energy use and CO2 emissions. To mark the 10th anniversary the competition will feature 10 new categories, one of which – the Legacy Award – will be open to past winners of the Awards, recognising the individuals and organisations that have been involved in changing energy management practices over the last decade.

Dr Brian Motherway, Chief Executive of SEAI, says: “We have reached a turning point with the Sustainable Energy Awards. It’s no longer a debating point that we need to move to a sustainable energy system. Sustainable energy award winners over the last decade have shown that the financial and wider gains from taking action can be very significant indeed. We look forward to continuing to recognise great leaders and innovators in the sustainable energy sector in Ireland.”

 Bríd Horan, Executive Director of Electric Ireland, says: “The significant savings that have been seen by the companies that have entered the Energy Awards alone proves that substantial energy cost savings are still achievable in Irish business through commitment and the use of energy management systems.  We are delighted to have partnered with SEAI on the Sustainable Energy Awards over the last 10 years.  Each year we see new, innovative ways that organisations of all sizes are embracing energy efficient behaviour and making substantial savings.”

Further information on the 2013 Sustainable Energy Awards can be found on SEAI’s website www.seai.ie/energyawards. Closing date for entries is Friday 28th June 2013. Overall winners will be announced at a gala event in Dublin in November 2013.

GreenBusiness is one of the flagship programmes of the National Waste Prevention Programme. It has joined forces with IBEC to hold a series of seminars, aimed at advising SMEs on how to improve energy management in their business, cut costs and enhance profitability during these tough economic times (which are made more difficult by growing energy costs).

Established five years ago, GreenBusiness is a FREE and confidential resource efficiency service for all types of SMEs inIreland. It aims to deliver resource efficiency improvements and cost savings for businesses, through waste prevention and reductions in water and energy consumption.

Recent resource efficiency assessments of Irish SMEs revealed potential savings of €70,000 on average for companies visited, in areas including water, waste and energy management, with €20,000 of these savings achievable with merely better practices, at little or no cost to the business.

The free seminars, this May in Cork, Limerick and Dublin, are guaranteed to be a very worthwhile investment of management and staff time. They will include presentations from Green Business, SEAI, Philips Lighting, Verde LED and Resource Kraft. Case Studies from the food and drinks sectors will also be presented and discussed.

Some of the energy management issues that will be discussed:

* Key strategies required for good energy management;

* Reducing your energy bills, choosing the right tariffs and avoiding penalties;

* Guide to installing efficient lighting for your facility;

* Energy management solutions for the food and drinks industry;

* Case studies from industry.

James Hogan, Programme Manager with GreenBusiness claims that on average €40,000 in energy cost savings have been identified for companies which have availed of a Green Business resource efficient assessment. James states: “Every business has the potential to better manage its energy consumption, some more than others. There are significant opportunities for business who have not taken a structured approach to energy management.”

Dates and venues:

Dublin – 28th May – IBEC Offices, Confederation House, 84/86 Lower Baggot Street.

Limerick – 30th May- Castletroy Park Hotel, Dublin Road, Limerick.

Cork – 31st May –Tourism & HospitalityBuilding, CIT, Bishopstown, Cork.

To book a place at one of these seminars, please email contactus@greenbusiness.ie  or anne.murphy@ibec.ie

European Commission officials have carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several companies, including Shell and BP, active in and providing services to the crude oil, refined oil products and biofuels sectors. These inspections took place in two EU Member States.

At the Commission’s request, inspections were also carried out on its behalf by the EFTA Surveillance Authority in one European Economic Area (EEA)MemberState. The Commission has concerns that the companies may have colluded in reporting distorted prices to a Price Reporting Agency to manipulate the published prices for a number of oil and biofuel products.

Furthermore, the Commission has concerns that the companies may have prevented others from participating in the price assessment process, with a view to distorting published prices. Any such behaviour, if established, may amount to violations of European antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices and abuses of a dominant market position (Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU and Articles 53 and 54 of the EEA Agreement).

The prices assessed and published by Price Reporting Agencies serve as benchmarks for trade in the physical and financial derivative markets for a number of commodity products in Europe and globally. Even small distortions of assessed prices may have a huge impact on the prices of crude oil, refined oil products and biofuels purchases and sales, potentially harming final consumers.

In the EU, Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities. In the EEA Member State, Commission officials accompanied their counterparts from the EFTA Surveillance Authority and from the national competition authority.

Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step to investigate suspected anti-competitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The Commission respects the rights of defence, in particular the right of companies to be heard in antitrust proceedings.

There is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anticompetitive conduct. Their duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the companies concerned co-operate with the Commission and the exercise of the rights of defence.

To celebrate the wonders of Ireland’s nature and wildlife, over 70 free events will be held during National Biodiversity Week from 18 to 26 May. From beaches and bogs to forests and mountains, there are exciting events and activities to suit all ages.

“This is a great opportunity to get out explore the variety of the natural world around you,’” says Michael Ewing, spokesperson for the Irish Environmental Network, a network of 32 national environmental groups. Many of the groups are holding National Biodiversity Week events.

“Often we don’t have the time, the opportunity or perhaps the confidence to explore our natural surroundings as much as we’d like. Biodiversity Week is about making it fun and easy to be part of nature. The events are all free and led by wildlife experts so I really encourage everyone to get involved,” he adds.

As part of National Biodiversity Week celebrations, the Irish Environmental Network is holding a photography competition with the theme ‘Water and Nature’. Details of National Biodiversity Week events and the photography competition can be found at www.ien.ie/bw13.

Northern Ireland’s energy companies have a crucial role to play in the island’s single energy market, the widening of competition, and the drive to become net electricity exporters – those were some of the messages at the recent CBI/IBEC event in Belfast which saw energy regulators, generators, officials and Ministers discuss the future of Europe’s internal energy market.

The event was the only EU Presidency Associated event to be held outside the Republic of Ireland during Ireland EU Presidency 2013 and was jointly organised by the CBI and IBEC. Department of Enterprise, Trade & Investment Minister Arlene Foster MLA and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte TD were joined by the Head of ACER (Agency for the Cooperation of European Regulators) Christophe Gence-Creux, Konstatin Staschus, Secretary General of ENTSO-E, the umbrella group for European network operators along with IBEC Chief Executive Danny McCoy and Ian Coulter, CBI NI Chairman.

Speaking at the event, DETI Minister Arlene Foster MLA said: “Full market integration across Europe presents many challenges, but if we get it right, it opens up our small market to wider competition. The potential advantages are far-reaching.”

Pat Rabbitte, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources said: “I believe in the potential of further market integration, learning from the success of the Single Electricity Market and taking account of further energy cooperation across these islands, to unlock benefits for all customers through the completion of a truly competitive energy market across Europe.  Of course the real implementation of a single European energy market is dependent also on greater physical interconnection between member states.”

CBI Northern Ireland President Ian Coulter said: “Energy costs are a major issue for businesses in Northern Ireland and have been shown to be an impediment to business growth. In the longer term improved integration and competition across energy markets in the EU could mean a better deal for local business and domestic energy users. It also offers unprecedented opportunity for energy companies to become exporters toBritainand further afield. Today’s local energy providers can become tomorrow’s electricity exporters through government support and sustainable investment in infrastructure improvements. With such a plan in place, Northern Ireland can make optimal use of its renewable and non-renewable energy resources, realising benefits for generators, customers and the wider economy.”

Eighteen speakers and panellists took part in the event including representatives from energy regulators, energy supply companies, grid operators and others.