SEI announces funding for Irish ocean energy companies

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Ten Irish companies developing ocean energy technologies will share e4.3millon in funding from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the national energy authority announced yesterday.

The funding is aimed at enabling the companies to take their proposals and prototypes to the next stage of development.

Ireland ranked fourth in the world for wind power

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Ireland now ranks fourth in the world for the contribution of wind energy to electricity use, according to the International Energy Agency's 2008 Wind Energy Annual Report.

Ireland, which supplies 8.7% of electricity demand from wind, is only behind Denmark (19.3%), Spain (11.7%) and Portugal (11.3%).

Comhar report proposes massive "green new deal"

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SPENDING ON the smart economy should be increased eightfold to almost e4 billion a year to make Ireland a world leader in creating green collar jobs, according to the national advisory body on sustainable development.



In a report on a “Green New Deal” for Ireland published yesterday, Comhar argued that a multi- billion euro commitment would be needed if Ireland was to become a sustainable, low-carbon economy.



Construct Ireland campaigns to energy upgrade Ireland

camco.jpgConstruct Ireland has launched a campaign calling for the introduction of pay as you save (PAYS), a system with the potential of substantially energy upgrading the Irish building stock. PAYS overcomes obstacles to the en masse uptake of energy investments such as the requirement for upfront capital, unease at signing up to debt in the case of loans, and lack of confidence in the suitability of particular measures and technologies in a given building. 

EPA chief calls for urgent action on green economy

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IRELAND CANNOT afford to wait before investing in the green economy, the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.

Speaking at the organisation’s annual conference, Mary Kelly said there were significant economic opportunities for Ireland in becoming a low-carbon and greener economy.

80% of homeowners want energy upgrade through utility bills

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80 per cent of Irish homeowners would be interested in paying for comprehensive energy upgrade work through a repayment tariff on their utility bills, a survey has found.

The results, from the monthly online omnibus for August by leading market research consultancy Amárach Research, coincide with the launch of a Construct Ireland campaign calling for energy upgrades across Ireland’s building stock through energy suppliers.

Joseph Little Architects launches sustainable design consultancy

Sean O'Laoire, Joseph Little and John Gormley
Leading green architect Joseph Little has launched a specialist green design consultancy to assist architects and building companies. On Monday 14 September environment minister John Gormley officially launched Building Life Consultancy, the new initiative of Joseph Little Architects at the company’s offices in North Great George’s St.

Deadline for Green Awards applications approaches

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Irish companies and public bodies interested in recognition for their contribution to the environment have less than two weeks to apply for a Green Award. The deadline for entering this year's Green Awards has been extended to 18 September. Construct Ireland will sponsor the Green Building category for the first time this year.

Open House Dublin 2009 to showcase green buildings

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The Irish Architecture Foundation has announced its fourth annual Open House Dublin event. Over the weekend of October 8 to 11, buildings in Dublin selected for their architectural quality and interest will be open to the public.