- Tipperary communities have proven it can work (and creates work).
By Allan Stewart.*
The country pays out €6 billion annually for fossil fuel imports, yet
communities in Co. Tipperary are uniquely demonstrating how we could halve that
bill and create employment:
When active members of Drombane and Upperchurch in North Tipperary got
together in 2011 to discuss economic solutions for their community, they
considered many ideas - from wind farms to a local ski slope. After further
meetings and talks with the Tipperary Energy Agency (TEA) and North Tipperary
Leader Partnership (NTLP) they decided on a community retrofit scheme. This
would convert many of the homes in the area to high energy performance homes
that were warmer, save on household bills, while creating work in the locality.
COMPLETELY NEW TO THE IDEA
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| Community Insulation Team |
A local 'Energy Team' was formed to co-ordinate a cluster of
home-owners, apply for grants from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
(SEAI) and select contractors for the work. Completely new to the idea, it took
many meetings and support from the local development company, NTLP, to get up
and running and to get enough locals interested.
And it’s worked!
Last year, 22 homes were upgraded and this year 35 more homes and two
community halls will be retrofitted. Currently, the 400 households in Drombane
and Upperchurch spend €1,000,000 on home energy and once the whole community is
retrofitted, the energy team expects it will save householders a total of over
€250,000 per year (25%).
NTLP TO REPEAT THE WORK
Now that a locally-run model is up and running, NTLP seek to spread the
word and repeat the work, focusing initially on two communities (Lorrha and
Kilcommon).**
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| Drombane Voluntary Housing Residents : Tony Quinn, Jim Nolan, and Ned Hennessey |
As Drombane/Upperchurch Energy Team member Martin O'Donoghue put it at a
recent presentation in Lorrha, “A year down the line, ye'll be wondering why ye
didn't start this sooner.”
According to local community worker Gearóid Fitzgibbon, “The projects
demonstrate the employment and financial benefits of local insulation schemes.
Imagine these savings and jobs multiplied out to every community in Ireland.”
He said that if other communities were to follow the lead shown by
Drombane/Upperchurch and if we were to all change our energy use habits, then
communities around Ireland “could cut their energy bills in half.”
GREEN ECONOMY ALIVE
Under the SEAI Better Energy Communities Scheme, communities can even
sell the energy savings they achieve. Drombane/Upperchurch Energy Team has
agreed a deal with Electric Ireland for 2013. This local ‘eco-money’ will be
used for further energy projects in the community, with the overall aim of
becoming more energy independent.
The Celtic Tiger is dead, but Ireland's communities still have the
opportunity to build the foundations for a leading green economy.
For more info, email: gfitzgibbon@ntlp.ie or allandstewart@gmail.com
Note: By increasing awareness of energy usage, households can save over 30%
on their energy bills, eg by turning the television off fully, having showers
instead of baths, and hanging clothes on the line instead of tumble-drying.
More info: www.energyneighbourhoods.eu/en_ie
* * Allan Stewart was on work placement with NTLP from the Rural
Development and Natural Resource Masters Programme at Uppsala University,
Sweden.
** Lorrha and Kilcommon communities were identified for support in
NTLP’s LCDP 2011 strategic plan.
Seven Steps to Retrofit Heaven
1. Communicate and convene.
2. Find suitably skilled Energy Co-ordinator
3. Form a local energy cluster.
4. Assess homes.
5. Secure funding for homes.
6. Co-ordinate contractors.
7. Oversee work to completion
100% energy grants available to communities
The Better Energy Communities Scheme run by the Sustainable Energy
Authority of Ireland offers 35% to 100% grants to home-owners who opt into a
community retrofit scheme. Community owned building
and businesses are also eligible (50% grants).
If your community sets up a scheme, it will:
- cut waiting time for grants,
- allow for better quality assurance,
- reduce costs,
- create an SEAI-funded job for the co-ordinator of your project.
Further information
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