The Sustainable
Energy Authority of Ireland's (SEAI) has recently launched a new programme - Sustainable
Energy Community (SEC). This programme
aims to help activate community groups interested in developing and
implementing sustainable energy initiatives with a ‘bottom up’ community approach.
Very significant technical support and ultimately funding is available
from the SEAI to empower and inform
local communities.
Community groups are
invited to join the SEC Southwest Network and benefit from meeting and
exchanging information and experience with other similar groups as well as
availing of seminars, events, case studies and project site visits. Community
groups availing of SEC membership aim to be energy efficient, to use renewable
energy where feasible and to develop decentralised energy supplies. An SEC can include all different energy users
including homes, sports clubs, community centres, churches and businesses.
Very significant SEAI funding and access to
technical support is available to participating groups.
For example, for a Level 1 SEC comprising a
street/village, up to €10,000 of technical support and advice is available for
developing an Energy Master Plan (energy-use baseline) and up to €32,000 is
available for developing core competencies and using technical panel resources
to identify and develop a project.
Additional project specific funding is then available on an annual basis
for the implementation phase.
The newly
established Southwest SEC Network had their first meeting in December in
Ballyvourney with 4 groups from Cork and 4 from Kerry and one from West
Waterford.
XD Sustainable
Energy Consulting have been appointed to to develop and expand the SEC
programme in Cork, Kerry and West Waterford. The Southwest Network meeting was
hosted by Xavier Dubuisson and Conor O’Brien, XD Sustainable Energy Consulting.
Further programme
details are available from www.seai.ie/sec or by contacting Conor O’Brien, SEC Mentor
at sec@xdconsulting.eu or by calling 087 9047810
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