Sustainable Energy & County Tipperary

Paul Kenny, B.E. C. Eng.Chief ExecutiveTipperary Energy Agency

Tipperary Energy Agency was established by The Tipperary County Councils, Tipperary Institute in 1998

• 17 years old

• 12 Full time staff; – 9 Technical ( Scientists/ Engineers);

– 3 Business/ admin– Recruiting 2 more in May 2015.

• Public Good Social Enterprise– Private Non Profit Company

– Supporting County Tipperary & Beyond to reduce energy use.

• TEA voluntary board: – LA Members & Executive. LIT; PPN; ETB & others

• TEA Projects 2008-2014– >€25M investment in Tipperary 2008-2014 (with TCC, Leader, LIT etc)

– Average 80-100 Full time jobs supported in the county each year.

Tipperary Energy Agency

Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC, to the opening session of COP20, Dec. 2014

Tipperary Energy Use €M

• 54% of EU imports to Russia (source eurostat)• 25% of EU to the Middle East/ North Africa.• EU citizens pay for destabilisation and

insecurity by adopting cheapest at all cost policies.

• €6.7 Bn of our wealth exported.• Fossil fuel subsidies to eliminate energy

poverty rather than insulation/ renewables.• Huge global subsidies for fossil fuel extraction

(Corrib writing off 100% of development costs against tax ~ €3 Bn)

Where does the money go?

• Heat using our own timber• Be very efficient in energy use• Invest in insulation not Russia• Produce energy from Agri-wastes and marginal

land.• Responsibly take advantage of our wind resource• Utilise Solar energy when/ where available• LARES is about how we sustainably shift from

fossils to renewables while benefiting our citizens

What can we do about it?

Bioenergy

Currently ~50 jobs in TipperaryCould be 500 by 2020Government announced Heat incentive (2016).

Q: How do we maximise the production & use to re-invigorate Rural Economies

Solar

Tipperary has largest Photovoltaic generation (PV) in Ireland, but a fraction of what is possible.

Q: How do we facilitate the maximisation of solar energy: • Passive architecture• Active Photovoltaics/

Thermal energy

Wind

Tipperary significant wind producer- Only community wind farm- Significant upland areas

Q: How do the Citizens of Tipperary Benefit the most from our valuable wind resource.

Retrofit

Tipperary leading county in terms of retrofit activity.- We need 6-10 times more.- Benefits could be in the

hundreds of millions.

Q: How do significantly increase investment in every community?

• ~ 1000 EU visitors have travelled to Tipperary to see impact/ projects. • Including the EU committee of the regions.

• “Everything is happening in Tipperary, Tipp is miles ahead” – Duncan Stewart

• Tipperary County Council, Leader, TEA, LIT, Ecovillage, Community retrofit activity, Community windfarm all leading lights in Sustainable Energy in Ireland and the EU.

• TCD, UL, UCC, UCD all researching/ proposed Tipperary Projects.

Tipperary is in the lead

• Change is inevitable and welcomed. • Everyone needs to engage in the debate.• Challenge misconceptions & misinformation.• If we succeed, the biggest loser will be fossil fuel

owners and investors, not citizens.• This debate is not about wind, It’s about

Economics, Wealth, Rural revival, Jobs, Climate, prosperity for future generations.

Tipperary needs

• Tipperary County Council with the assistance of the TEA intend to prepare a Renewable Energy Strategy (RES)

• Tipperary RES will set out the planning blueprint for Sustainable Energy in Tipperary

• All stakeholders in energy including every energy citizen invited to participate

• Consultation until 15th June 2015, thereafter the Draft RES will be prepared.

Logon to www.tipperarycoco.ie for details of the RES, Green Energy and participation measures.

Making it Possible

• Non profit, public good social enterprise

• Partnership approach• Energy management• Renewable energy and energy

efficiency• Procurement, project mgmt.• Cost effective, value driven• 12 expert staff

• Paul Kenny• Chief Executive• T: 052 7443090• F: 052 7443012• E: pkenny@tea.ie• W: www.tea.ie• Cahir

Tipperary Energy Agency