Solar panel scheme helps slash Cork community centre’s electricity bills by 40%
The energy savings which will accrue to Blackpool Community Centre in Cork will see the group paying off its investment in the technology within seven years, and free up cash to invest in community services, spokesman Bill Dunlea said.
“We hope to act as a beacon to other communities in Ireland tackling climate change. It is a step towards energy independence,” Mr Dunlea said.
He was speaking as Environment Minister Denis Naughten visited the centre yesterday to see how it, and several other energy efficiency projects in Cork, benefited from the Better Energy Communities (BEC) grants scheme, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
In Cork, the North Cathedral, Ballyvolane Fire Station, Blackpool Shopping Centre and car park, UCC, Leisureworld in Bishopstown, and council housing at Ardbhaile and Glenamoy in Mayfield, all benefitted from an estimated €3m investment in energy efficiency projects — insulation, LED lighting or solar panels — under the BEC scheme during the year.
Nationally, the scheme has supported 300 community energy efficiency projects over the last five years, with more than 15,000 homes and hundreds of community, private, and public buildings receiving energy efficiency upgrades.
Mr Naughten confirmed his department will make €25m available next year to provide more BEC scheme energy efficiency upgrades to over 2,600 homes and almost 300 community and commercial facilities.
Following a tour of the Blackpool project, Mr Naughten said: “We’re hoping that people will look at projects look this and realise that it makes sense. People can see that this is not half-baked or cracked — it does save money. Energy prices will continue to rise. That’s the trajectory. We need to be far more energy secure in this country. We have good renewable energy sources, and we need to concentrate and support those.
But this all makes sense from a consumer point of view — it makes homes far more comfortable to live in, it reduces the energy bills, but it also protects us in relation to the long-term effects of climate change.”
The minister also said his department is working on a scheme, to be announced early next year, to target and encourage private landlords to get involved in similar energy upgrade and energy efficiency projects.
Jim Gannon, chief executive of the SEAI, praised the people of Blackpool for their innovation. “This is a perfect example of things we can do at local level to tackle climate change,” he said.
He encouraged communities to check the SEAI website, with details of the 2017 BEC funding scheme due to be launched next month.
