The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) legislation of the EU. EIAs are carried out to make sure that the environmental impact of projects is taken into account before final decisions are made. Plans for roads, waste installations, power stations and a range of other projects must go … Read more
A new study involving conservationist Dr David Roberts from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), University of Kent, has revealed that thousands of rare flowering plant species worldwide may become extinct before scientists can even discover them. Combining their own methodology with data from the online World Checklist of Selected Plant Families at … Read more
Topaz, the country’s largest fuel and convenience retailer, is expanding into the aviation fuel sector, after agreeing a joint venture deal with Shell Aviation. The deal will see Topaz, the fully Irish owned and managed company, buy 50% of Shell Aviation Ireland to create a 50:50 joint venture that will sell aviation fuel in Ireland. … Read more
Following its recent successful funding, ResourceKraft, the energy management and cost control solutions provider, delivering software systems that help businesses in Ireland, UK, Europe and US effectively manage their energy costs, has announced two new appointments to its team. Peter MacNamara has joined ResourceKraft as chairman of the board. He brings a wealth of valuable … Read more
South West College, County Antrim, is the first educational institution in Ireland to sign a ‘heat contract’ with green energy company Rural Generation based in Londonderry, which will see the college save up to £25,000 on heat costs annually. The college, which houses its own Renewable Energy Academy at the Omagh campus, has already been … Read more
The new energy management standard EN 16001 provides a set of standardised requirements for an energy management system and also the framework for energy management best practice to aid organisations. Certification Europe, based in Dublin, is leading the way across Europe in the adoption of the new energy management standard. One organisation that has implemented … Read more
Having called for an energy technology revolution to tackle climate change and enhance energy security and economic development, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is seeing the first signs of this happening across the globe. However, it cautions that more needs to be done to achieve the necessary long-term cuts in CO2. The new IEA study … Read more
US-based AES Corporation has agreed with BG Energy Holdings to acquire Premier Power, owner of the 1,246 MW natural gas-fired Ballylumford Power Station in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, for £99 million. The transaction is subject to license consents from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise, Trade and … Read more
Encouraged by Government incentives to increase renewable energy usage, Britain is on track to substantially expand its use of hydropower technology, with the number of plants in England and Wales set to increase from 400 to 1,200 by 2020. The number of applications for hydropower plants has increased six fold since 2000. The UK’s Environmental … Read more
Research from Queen’s University Belfast has revealed the 20th century decline in the Irish hare population is almost certainly associated with changes in farming practices. Indeed, the research suggests hares may join the ranks of other farmland species, such as the Corncrake, unless more is done to protect their habitat. The research team, led by … Read more