Ireland could become the green energy capital of Europe and support over 80,000 green jobs, according to a new report released by Irish bio-energy firm BioPower.

Launching the report last Wednesday, energy minister Eamon Ryan said: "Clean energy will provide the solution to Ireland's economic and environmental challenges, securing the investment and jobs of the future.

Though the rating systems and certifications mentioned apply to the US, Green Building Advisor's guide to choosing low energy windows would be very useful to anyone, in Ireland or abroad, that's interested in buying high performance, energy efficient windows.

Scottish-owned electricity supplier Airtricity has announced the creation of 200 new jobs as it embarks on a drive to win new customers.

A new Sustainable Energy Ireland grant scheme will offer financial support to public and private sector organisations for energy upgrades and retrofits.

Sustainable Energy Ireland has today announced new figures for the Building Energy Rating scheme which show that over 40,000 BER certificates have been issued by SEI since 1 January  2009 when it became mandatory by law for all homes offered for sale or rent to have a BER.

Energy minister Eamon Ryan TD has announced that the recently-launched Home Energy Saving scheme has proven immensely popular among Irish homeowners.

In just four months since the scheme was officially announced, over €16 million in insulation grants is being paid to approximately 12,000 homes nationwide. Over 2,000 construction workers and tradespeople have registered to carry out the works, with a similar level of Building Energy Rating (BER) assessors involved.

Europe's electricity grid needs a radical overhaul if it is to distribute the renewable energy capacity that governments have committed to building by 2020, according to Europe's leading science academies.

Ulster Bank has launched a discounted loan for home improvements carried out through Sustainable Energy Ireland’s Home Energy Saving scheme and Greener Homes Scheme.

Green energy overtook fossil fuels in attracting investment for power generation for the first time last year, according to figures released today by the United Nations.

BioSpark - a newly-formed joint venture between Imperative Energy and Sustainable BioPolymers - has announced its intention to invest €40 million in the development of a next generation bio-processing research, innovation and manufacturing centre in Claremorris, County Mayo. Biospark says the venture will create 180 jobs initially, and could create up to 300 jobs in total over the next three years.