Green Energy

Analysis by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) of the economic and enterprise benefits of the sustainable energy sector, states that over 20,000 jobs can be created within the sector over the next eight years to 2020. Currently 10,000 jobs are supported in the sector which has the potential to treble by 2020 by creating and supporting jobs, not only directly in renewable energy and energy efficiency (13,000 jobs), but also indirectly by enhancing business competitiveness (7,000 jobs).

“The sustainable energy sector offers significant benefits to Ireland, including; creating jobs, increased competitiveness and future proofing against upward price trends,” points Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI. “The transition to sustainable energy is well underway, but the pace needs to accelerate for Irish society to truly benefit.  Ireland has significant and growing strengths in the areas of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies; now business and policy makers must work together to deliver on the export potential that exists within these key areas.”

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, TD comments: “Sustainable energy is becoming the norm in Ireland and with that change comes many economic opportunities and jobs. Irish enterprises adopting sustainable energy practices are reducing costs, becoming more competitive, securing jobs and as a result are delivering real benefits in all sectors of our economy. “

The Government recently launched the Better Energy Workplaces Scheme 2012, a capital fund to support sustainable energy investments in 2012 in the public, commercial, industrial and community sectors. The fund will make available Eur7.5 million for projects that support energy performance contracting; a key element of Ireland’s National Energy Efficiency Plan. Public sector projects are particularly encouraged in order to assist in meeting the 33% public sector energy efficiency improvement target in 2020.

Indeed an impact report on Better Energy Workplaces 2011 shows that the State’s Eur11 million investment to support 85 organisational energy upgrades, will be repaid in energy savings in one year.

Building Energy Ratings (BER) have now been issued to over 200,000 Irish homes, according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). A total of 201,854 homes have been rated by BER assessors across the country, marking an increase of 100,000 since February 2010.

Introduced in 2007 as part of the European Directive to improve the energy performance of homes, the rate of BER publications has steadily increased over the last two years since the introduction of a mandatory requirement for the inclusion of a BER certificate when selling or renting a home.

A BER is an indication of the energy performance of a home, displaying an energy label on a scale of A1-G. An A1-rated home is the most energy efficient and will tend to have the lowest energy bills. A BER certificate is issued in conjunction with an advisory report which identifies how householders can improve the energy performance of their homes.

Recent research, carried out by SEAI, shows that awareness levels of the BER Scheme has increased significantly over the last two years with almost six out of ten people expressing an awareness of the term BER in relation to homes and buildings. However while the research shows that there has been a rise in awareness amongst those looking to sell their homes (70% compared to 54% in 2009), those in the rental market remain the least aware at 42%.

“The latest research figures on awareness levels, combined with the actual number of homes that have had BERs completed, indicate an increasing awareness of and compliance with the legislation. Despite the decline in property transactions, there has been a significant demand for BER ratings over the last two years,” comments Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI. “However those renting properties are still not aware of their entitlements to receive a BER. We urge those considering renting a property to demand a BER certificate, so they are fully informed of the energy performance of a dwelling before finalising any rent agreement.”

In order to obtain a BER, a homeowner must have an assessment carried out by a certified BER assessor who is trained under the National Framework of Qualifications and registered with SEAI. There are currently 2,100 SEAI registered BER assessors across the country.

Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has become the first organisation in Ireland, to be certified to the SWiFT 3000: Code of Practice for Corporate Governance Assessment in Ireland. SWiFT 3000’s primary objective is to provide organisations of all sizes and types with a standard framework of assessment of compliance with relevant corporate governance codes.

Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI.

More than a dozen key professional bodies engaged in the promotion of best corporate governance practice participated in SWiFT 3000’s development through a National Standards Authority of Ireland consultative committee, including the public and private sectors and corporate governance experts from academia. It specifies the requirements for the Corporate Governance Assessment (including board effectiveness) in companies and involves an independent external assessor reviewing a company’s compliance with their corporate governance codes and obligations.

“This certification is a testament to the governance culture developed by the SEAI board and the hard work and dedication of the team at SEAI in implementing the process. I would strongly encourage other board members, company secretaries and business owners to implement SWiFT 3000 as an essential element in their overall strategy,” comments Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI. “The award of SWiFT 3000 certification to SEAI will assure our stakeholders that we have the right structures, behaviours and practices in place and help us to continuously improve upon our corporate governance standards.”

24 households on the Aran Islands are participating in a pilot project to demonstrate the smart grid technologies needed to transfer and store wind energy in electric vehicles. Eight electric vehicles have been delivered to homes as part of a project coordinated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs. The vehicles will be rolled out to an initial eight households for one year, with a further eight households selected for participation in 2012 and again in 2013, under a three year programme looking at the potential for wind energy to power electric cars and to reduce reliance on imported fuels on the islands.

Each household has been fitted with an innovative smart charger unit which can be accessed remotely to allow matching of available wind power with vehicle charging requirements.

The project will aim to show a significant potential for electric vehicles charged by wind energy to meet the transport requirements under the difficult access conditions of an island environment. It will assess the efficiency, reliability and maintainability of the vehicles and the potential for locally generated wind power to supply the electricity requirements for the vehicles.

“Ireland has the twin goals of replacing 10% of its passenger vehicles with electric vehicles by 2020 and of exploiting our availability of renewable energy resources, in particular wind. Under Government plans to put 6,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2012, a grant of €5,000 is now available for the purchase of electric vehicles. This project on the Aran Islands is a significant step, and is among the first initiatives worldwide to demonstrate the potential for electric vehicles fuelled by wind energy,” comments Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI. “We are most encouraged by the positive reception to the project to date. Aran is a particularly useful test-bed as the islands have an abundance of wind power and mainly domestic consumers.”

Participants were selected following on open competition and an electrical survey of applicant properties in 2010. Following a public procurement process, the vehicles have been supplied by GreenMachines, and Merrion Fleet Management was selected to provide full maintenance and support services for the duration of the trial. Another Irish company, Klockner Moeller, developed the smart charging units to meet SEAI’s technical requirements.

Renewable energy in Ireland grew by an average of 15% per annum from 2005 to 2009, driven largely by a significant growth in wind energy of 28% per annum in that period, according to the annual ‘Energy in Ireland’ report from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In parallel, 2009 witnessed a steady trend towards lower energy prices in Ireland for both domestic and business energy users.

Energy in Ireland 1990-2009 shows that in addition to the decline in economic activity, increased energy efficiency and the consistent growth of renewables on the national grid contributed to a significant decline in energy-related C02 emissions in 2009 of 11%.

A key finding of the report in relation to transport and car purchase shows that Government changes to vehicle registration tax and motor tax are positively influencing consumer purchase choice to more efficient vehicles. 80% of new cars purchased in 2010 (Jan to Nov) were in the most energy efficient A and B label bands, up from 25% in July 2008, prior to the new tax band introduction.

The report also shows that overall energy use declined by 9% in 2009, with sectors such as industry at 13%, services at 12% and transport at 10% witnessing the greatest fall.

“Energy in Ireland 1990-2009 reflects important trends in our approach to, and management of, energy demand and supply in Ireland. We are seeing some positive results shine through as renewable energy continues to grow and energy efficiency continues to improve across all sections of society. As energy becomes more central to enterprise and our economy, it is increasingly important for us to keep a close eye on the emerging trends,” comments Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI.

A report published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) highlights the continued fall in electricity and gas prices over the last year as Ireland strengthens its competitive position vis-a-vis energy pricing across the European Union.

The latest Electricity and Gas Prices (in Ireland) Report shows that in the year to June 2010, businesses and householders benefited from falling energy prices. Householders experienced a large fall in electricity prices of 12% bringing prices in line with the EU average, and a fall of between 20%-35% was witnessed by medium to large businesses, compared with the EU average of 4%, the largest drop in the EU. Domestic gas prices also fell by 23% and SMEs experienced a drop bringing them between 7%-18% beneath the EU average.

Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI.

Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI, Comments: “Despite misconceptions that Ireland’s energy prices are out of line with the rest of Europe, we have witnessed a steady trend towards lower energy prices for most users in recent years. It is encouraging to see that Ireland is now at or below the average in terms of energy pricing across the EU. Given current economic challenges facing Ireland, the fall in energy prices is very good news for businesses, for whom competitiveness remains a key issue. Over half of the electricity sold to Ireland’s business customers in the first six months of the year was below the EU average signalling the success of a more open energy trading market.”

The Electricity and Gas Prices (in Ireland) Report can be found on the SEAI website at: www.seai.ie/statistics.

Ireland has already begun to play a leading role in the development of the smart grid and now needs to capitalise on the significant opportunities that exist for business to use Ireland as a test bed given this country’s research, skills and technologies. This is according to a new report published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and EirGrid.

The report, ‘Ireland –Your Smart Grid Opportunity’, reveals that Ireland has a real opportunity to lead the way internationally as a result of our single electricity market, abundant renewable energy resources, and expertise in information technology, software and communications. This significantly increases the speed at which the rollout of new technologies can be achieved on the island and positions us to become a world leader in this area.

Ireland is already quite advanced in the development of a smart grid network. One of the largest and most comprehensive trials of smart metering internationally is taking place in Ireland, with the rollout of smart meters to 6,500 electricity customers since 2009 and the introduction of In Home Displays (IHDs) and Smart Web access for a sample group of users. This is a pilot initiative being conducted by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), SEAI, ESB Networks and Bord Gais. Up to two million electricity smart meters providing interval consumption data are to be installed in Irish homes as the Smart Grid is rolled out across the country.

The smart grid will bring radical changes in Ireland’s electricity system enabling Irish consumers to better manage their electricity consumption, while also reducing costs and being less carbon intensive. This will be driven through a transition to a smart grid that is more responsive, more dynamic and provides customers with real options to manage their electricity usage and costs. The smart grid will also enable more renewable energy to be connected to our electricity system, helping to secure Ireland’s energy supply and reducing our carbon intensity.

“Achieving an intelligent electricity system will bring significant benefits for consumers and for our economy. The development of the Smart Grid is exciting for all of us as it will provide a platform for real consumer participation. In fact consumer participation will not only become a possibility with the smart grid but also a necessity to maximise the benefits. This will fundamentally and positively change how consumers think about and use electricity,” comments Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI.

EirGrid chief executive Dermot Byrne.

EirGrid chief executive Dermot Byrne says: “As a nation with a highly-skilled workforce, Ireland can be at the leading edge of developments in this area. Smart grid technology has the potential to benefit consumers and create opportunities for jobs in Ireland.”

Jerry O’Sullivan, managing director of ESB Networks, adds: “The smart grid is a key enabler for the delivery of climate change, an international challenge facing all of us. The strong expertise and history of delivery within Ireland’s electricity sector combined with focused academic research and government and industry support, is resulting in Ireland being to the forefront in the development of the smart grid. In addition to facilitating delivery of Climate Change targets, this opens many opportunities for the wider economy.”

Government funding of €9 million has been granted to 43 organisations involving capital investment projects of approximately €25 million, under the national Energy Efficiency Fund (EEF) for public and private sector businesses.

The projects, 20 of which are public sector, and 23 private and voluntary sectors, will be completed by the end of 2010, and the energy efficiency actions taken will create lifetime savings of over Eur70 million. Some 50,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions will also be avoided each year as a result, equivalent to taking over 100,000 cars off Irish roads.

The EEF, which is being managed and coordinated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), provides support for upgrades to buildings, services and facilities involving ambitious packages of energy efficiency investment actions aimed at achieving ongoing and lasting energy savings. Projects relate mainly to thermal and electrical energy usage in buildings. The fund, which was launched in May 2010, was oversubscribed with applications by its closing date in August.

Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI.

“We must tackle the needless waste of energy across all sectors. In these straightened times, no one can afford to pay for unused energy. Increased energy efficiency is the one sure way to secure enduring reductions in energy use and energy expenditure,” comments Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. “For every euro granted by the Government under this scheme, Eur10 in savings is delivered. The benefits far outweigh the costs. This is an important Government scheme delivering instant savings for both public and private enterprise.”

Professor Owen Lewis, chief executive of SEAI says: “The EEF is a timely example of organisations in Ireland working towards best practice in energy efficiency to deliver real energy reductions in all sectors of our economy. There are tremendous opportunities for almost every company in Ireland to learn from these organisations and replicate the benefits of energy savings by following in their footsteps.”