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Better Energy Workplaces Scheme 2012

Fund Announcement

Energy Minister, Pat Rabbitte, today announced the launch of a capital fund to support sustainable energy investments in 2012 in the public, commercial, industrial and community sectors.

The fund will make available €7.5 million for projects that support energy performance contracting; a key element of Ireland’s National Energy Efficiency Plan. Public sector projects are particularly encouraged in order to assist in meeting the 33% public sector energy efficiency improvement target in 2020.

Commenting, Minister Rabbitte said:

“Building on the success of previous schemes, this fund will ramp up the competitiveness of Irish business by delivering real savings in an affordable way for both public and private enterprise.   This is a timely example of organisations in Ireland working towards best practice in energy efficiency to deliver real benefits in all sectors of our economy.

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Applications for funding will be evaluated on a competitive bid basis, with the scheme open now. Successful applicants will be notified in June.

The 2012 iteration of the scheme builds upon the strong success of previous programmes run in recent years (2009-2011). Over €23m was provided to energy projects delivering an estimated annual energy saving equivalent to powering and heating over 23,000 homes.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit

www.seai.ie/grants

for further information.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Better Energy Workplaces programme disbursed €11 million in 2011 to co-finance 85 projects in the public, commercial, industrial and community sectors. This leveraged additional investment of €34 million, securing estimated savings of 270GWh and abatement of 63,000 tonnes of CO

2

. Estimated annual monetary savings are €11million, effectively repaying Government funding within 12 months.

Project Examples from Better Energy Workplaces 2011

Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital 

After appointing an ESCO,  an investment grade audit was carried out which assessed the feasibility of upgrading equipment in the hospital to provide energy savings. The equipment was selected, installed and commissioned including a 70KWe combined heat and power plant, building management system, efficient lighting, insulation and a remote energy monitoring system.

  • Project Cost -  €330,000

  • Primary Energy Saving – 1,345,303 kWh, 294tCO2, 25 -30% site energy saving

  • Project Payback – 5 years

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus carried out an audit on Hangar 6 which provides regular office space, an operational control centre  and aircraft maintenance for its aircraft fleet of 44 planes. The retrofit solutions installed included: upgrades to lighting and the compressed air system, the installation of variable speed drives and a  monitoring and control system.

  • Project Cost –   €244,000

  • Primary Energy Saving –  2,395,349 kWh, 495tCO2, 17% of energy use

  • Project Payback – >3 years

Green Isle Foods

Green Isle Foods carried out energy retrofit projects at their Naas, Longford, Gurteen and Portumna sites which involved upgrades to refrigeration units, heat recovery equipment and boilers, and the installation of variable speed drives on air compressors.

  • Project cost – €1,200,000

  • Primary Energy Saving – 13.1GWh, 2,768 tCO2,   6% site energy saving

  • Project Payback – < 3 years

A full list of projects supported by SEAI under Better Energy Workplaces 2011 can be obtained on

www.seai.ie/BetterEnergyWorkplaces

Press Contacts:

 SEAI Press Office, Finnabair Business Park, Dundalk, Co. Louth, +353 42 9391533,

fiona.smith@seai.ie

 Or

Press Office, Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, 29-31 Adelaide Rd, Dublin 2. +353 1 6782441 / 087 6937580,

press.office@dcenr.gov.ie

,

www.dcenr.gov.ie