Jessica Kennedy writes for EnergyBiz about the success in 2012 of government programmes in improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Efficiency for a Greener Ireland
Ireland has recently made news with its efforts in energy efficiency and sustainability. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), 2012 was a landmark year for energy efficiency and sustainability in Ireland. The SEAI reports energy savings totaling €35 million (equal to 670GWh and 160,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions avoided), and about 4,000 jobs preserved in the construction and energy industries.
These achievements were spread across businesses, communities, industries and residences. For businesses, the SEAI provided funding for retrofitting, research and development for renewable energy, and energy efficiency projects which led to substantial savings. The SEAI estimates that through their business investments, €11 million will be saved annually on energy costs. That equals a one year return on investment for the government.
In the residential sector, the SEAI upgraded 150 homes per day with retrofits. These improvements contributed to about €100 million of spending for the construction industry, which contributed to jobs and economic strength in the country.
The SEAI’s report doesn’t simply outline the success of 2012 either. It aggregates energy accomplishments since 2009 exposes impressive statistics. The projects dispersed over €315 million in financial support to various energy investments, while accumulating €500 million in private investments. This financial support yielded a total of about €2.5 billion in energy bill savings over the lifetime of installed technology. This equals an annual savings of €135 million in businesses and residences. Carbon emissions have been curtailed as well; about 13 Mt to be exact, or 630 kt annually for the lifetime of the upgrades. Another impressive accomplishment achieved by SEAI’s improvement was the ability to avoid €950 million in natural gas imports over the years from 2009 – 2012. This is a huge savings for a country with few domestic natural gas wells.
Dr. Brian Motherway, CEO of SEAI, is even more optimistic for the coming years.
2013 will be a year of further growth in all areas. SEAI’s focus is firmly on making things happen on the ground. We will be supporting all homes and businesses that want to reduce their energy bills. We will be offering funding to community groups to encourage local sustainability actions that create employment and improve communities. And we must ensure that we continue to develop wind and other renewable technologies, making sure that planning is done properly and local communities are engaged. SEAI’s job is to encourage real and meaningful action to create jobs, reduce energy costs and develop Ireland’s fast-growing sustainable energy sector.
Dr. Motherway’s words are excellent advice for any country wishing to reduce overall energy demand and lower costs of electricity and fuel for heading homes. Ireland’s investments in energy efficiency and mitigating energy poverty have contributed to the strength of the energy industry in the country. SEAI’s most recent annual results, and Dr. Motherway’s stated future goals map a comprehensive strategy for energy growth and independence for Ireland; an example other developed nations may do well to follow.
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 