Galway County Council

Environment

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Energy Projects

Galway County Council Projects:

Galway Climate Change Strategy

The Galway Energy Agency Ltd (GEAL) commissioned the first Galway Climate Change Strategy report in 2001. The report sets out to present information on the national environmental emissions in general and Galway's consumption and environmental emissions in particular. It was  response to Kyoto to assess the 2002-2005 baseline.

Energy MAP

Under the National Energy Efficiency Action plan the public sector is required to meet a 33% increase in energy efficiency by 2020.

 In order to meet this target and to reduce our energy costs the County Manager, Martina Moloney, and the Senior Management Team have committed to implementing a structured energy management system as an organizational wide initiative.

 The system is an Energy Management Action Programme called Energy MAP which was development by SEAI, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The main objectives in implementing this programme are:

  1. To pay less per unit of energy we consume and

  2. To reduce the amount of energy consumed across the organization

 Energy Action Plan

Galway County Council is working to implement its first Energy Action Plan for 2010. The Plan identifies 14 measures to be undertaken across the councils departments and reaching out to local businesses to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs.

Energy Tendering

In order to ensure best value for money Galway County Council have been tendering for the supply of electricity to both metered and unmetered facilities along with fuel tendering. Where appropriate we have availed of group tendering arrangements  with other local authorities in order to maximise financial gains.

Energy Management for Small and Medium Enterprises

The Galway Waste Prevention Project (GWPP) is a 2.5 year EPA funded project involving the business, community and public sector. As part of this project Galway County Council facilitated a group of local small and medium enterprises in running an Energy Management Series of Workshops (in conjunction with SEAI). Each of the enterprises involved were required to implement an Energy Action Plan for their business. The project has been very successful to date and offers lots of potential for further programmes in this regard. 

Biofuel Transport Fleet

In 2008 Galway County Council introduced the use of 5% Biofuel across its transport fleet. The biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils (Rapeseed oils) some of which is grown in the County of Galway. Biodiesel reduces exhaust emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

Aran Islands SEAI Programme

SEAI is currently funding a Sustinable Energy Programme for the Aran Island communities on Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr. The three year programme involves the preparation of Energy Action Plans by each community. A Community operated Energy Efficiency Programme offers the following benefits to an island Community:

Other Energy Projects within the County of Galway

- House of Tomorrow

Under the SEAI House of Tomorrow Scheme a number of energy efficient developments were undertaken in the County of Galway:

- Galway Bay Wave Energy Test Site - Ireland

The Marine Institute, in association with Sustainable Energy Ireland, established an Ocean Energy Test Site for scaled prototypes of wave energy devices in Galway Bay. The Test site is situated on the North side of Galway Bay, 1 mile East of An Spideal. To avoid conflict with shipping, it is marked by navigation markers on four corners. The site is 37 Hectares in area and is in 21-24 metres of water. A wave recording buoy is installed at the site.

The site is available to all who develop wave energy devices. Each developer is required having a prototype that is built for open water testing in a sheltered location and can apply using the application form on the Marine Institute website: http://www.marine.ie/home/aboutus/organisationstaff/researchfacilities/Ocean+Energy+Test+Site.htm

 - Algae Breakthrough for Biofuels

A team of researchers from Irish biofuels company AER and the National University of Ireland in Galway (NUIG) have developed the new technology, to convert alge to commercially-viable transport fuel. Up to now biofuels have been sourced from crops such as sugar cane and corn, but scientific advances mean brown seaweed could become a major source of energy. http://www.irishseaweed.com/introduction.html

- Derrybrien Wind Farm

The largest wind farm development in Ireland, this wind farm at Derrybrien in south County Galway, consists of 70 Vestas V-52 850kW wind turbines and is capable of producting up to 60MW of clean electricity. http://www.hibernianwindpower.ie/windfarms/derrybrien.htm

- Fuinneamh Gaoithe Teo (or Indreabhán) Windfarm

Located in Indreabhán, Co. na Gaillimhe. This wind farm produces 2.8MW of clean electricity using 4 Vestas 650-700 kW machines.                                                                                        http://www.sei.ie/uploadedfiles/InfoCentre/WindFarmDocument.pdf

- Inis Meáin Wind Farm

Located on Inis Meáin this wind farm produces 0.675 MW of clean electricity using three Vestas 225kW machines.

http://www.sei.ie/uploadedfiles/InfoCentre/WindFarmDocument.pdf

- Corr na Gaoithe Kilchreest Windfarm

Located in the townland of Sonnagh Old, Kilchreest this wind farm produces 0.85MW of clean electricity.

- Renewable Energy breakthrough for NUI Galway Researchers

The Power Electronics Research Centre at NUI Galway has developed emergency power supplies for North Sean Wind Turbines. The aim of the Power Electronics Research Centre at NUI Galway is to foster links with industry by transferring technology from a strong research base in the University to the wider community. The Centre is now involved in a number of areas of research activities: renewable energy systems, automotive electronics; sensor technology; battery management, and power harvesting.

http://perc.nuigalway.ie/