Photo: New houses in Buncrana are better equipped with insulation but do they go far enough?
Please click on the title for an update on the COMPARES Project in Inishowen
My attempt at producing a list of Eco suppliers in Inishowen is going very well. I now have contacts for wood burning stoves, solar panel installers and bio thermal heat installers. Natural insulation still has to be delivered in but my biggest trouble is with the wind turbines. It seems that here in the Republic, we have a problem with the energy these devices produce. In most other European countries, including Northern Ireland, the electricity boards are more than happy for us to have turbines and they will buy your excess energy that is produced to put on the grid. Not here it seems. The ESB appear to have a reluctance to let anyone into their monopoly. This means that if anyone buys a turbine they will need expensive batteries to collect and store the energy instead of selling it on. There are obvious added expenses with these batteries but the ridiculous situation is that if your turbine produces too much energy you will either have to switch on all of your appliances to use the power up or disconnect the turbine blades, which is a ludicrous position to be in. Ireland household bills have jumped from €495 a year in 2002 to €740 today. The bill will rise again as the charges are being increased by another 25% bringing the average to €1,260 per annum. More reason for why we need to be able to produce our own electricity and sell the excess on.
Solar panels are easily installed though and do not have the same problems with big multinationals. If you like they can be made from old radiators painted black, for nothing. These produce 65% of annual hot water needs and up to 90% in summer. Heating water accounts for 64% of all household energy consumption. We here in Inishowen have a better climate than most of us would realise for getting the best out of this method of energy saving. It would cost about €4600 to install the professional kit and the grant aid will reduce this cost by €1200, making it an affordable option, although it has been said that the cost of the appliances are going up as well as companies are cashing in an the bonanza. A recent article in a financial paper thinks that when the SSIA investors get their money, most of it will be spent either on holiday homes or improving the energy efficiency of their existing houses. Those of us who didn’t invest in the SSIA market can still do our bit at making the house more efficient and not spend a fortune. Cellulose insulation made from newspaper is currently on the market and a cheap alternative to fibreglass. 20% of heat loss is through the roof of the house. You could fit thermostatic controls on the radiators to reduce wastage or even turn some of them off altogether now the weather has warmed up. Make sure the insulation around the water tank is in good order and turn the thermostat down a degree or two.
Solar panels are easily installed though and do not have the same problems with big multinationals. If you like they can be made from old radiators painted black, for nothing. These produce 65% of annual hot water needs and up to 90% in summer. Heating water accounts for 64% of all household energy consumption. We here in Inishowen have a better climate than most of us would realise for getting the best out of this method of energy saving. It would cost about €4600 to install the professional kit and the grant aid will reduce this cost by €1200, making it an affordable option, although it has been said that the cost of the appliances are going up as well as companies are cashing in an the bonanza. A recent article in a financial paper thinks that when the SSIA investors get their money, most of it will be spent either on holiday homes or improving the energy efficiency of their existing houses. Those of us who didn’t invest in the SSIA market can still do our bit at making the house more efficient and not spend a fortune. Cellulose insulation made from newspaper is currently on the market and a cheap alternative to fibreglass. 20% of heat loss is through the roof of the house. You could fit thermostatic controls on the radiators to reduce wastage or even turn some of them off altogether now the weather has warmed up. Make sure the insulation around the water tank is in good order and turn the thermostat down a degree or two.
UPDATE
Inishowen has now got the COMPARES Project, which saves me loads of time and energy, read on.........
COMPARES PROJECT
I hear that low energy bulbs are not catching on in America. The main reason is that the lights are a bit dim to start off with before they glow to their full potential. A bit like me really!
A new initiative in Inishowen, the COMPARES project will be encouraging the tourism and leisure industry to start to get more energy efficient over the next six weeks issues.
The COMPARES project, which is being led by the IRDL in Carndonagh, is making information readily available to tourist providers on how to become more aware of the changes they can make to cut costs and tap into renewable energy sources. They have clear, unbiased information on products, suppliers and funding that is available.
The cost of conventional energy such as oil and coal is expensive and this can mean less profit or higher prices. Neither of those options is favourable when running a business so COMPARES hopes to bring in methods that will drastically reduce the company’s outgoings, making them more competitive in a difficult market.
Tourist providers such as B+B’s, guesthouses, hostel and hotels will all benefit. The tourist industry predicts that visitors to Inishowen will care about their carbon footprint and this initiative will become part of the Inishowen holiday experience.
Starting slowly with a few low energy bulbs, eventually working up to solar and wind power will put service providers ahead of the competition around the country. I’m sure that there will be a few vegetable patches and compost bins included in the scheme as well, if I have anything to do with it!
I hear that low energy bulbs are not catching on in America. The main reason is that the lights are a bit dim to start off with before they glow to their full potential. A bit like me really!
A new initiative in Inishowen, the COMPARES project will be encouraging the tourism and leisure industry to start to get more energy efficient over the next six weeks issues.
The COMPARES project, which is being led by the IRDL in Carndonagh, is making information readily available to tourist providers on how to become more aware of the changes they can make to cut costs and tap into renewable energy sources. They have clear, unbiased information on products, suppliers and funding that is available.
The cost of conventional energy such as oil and coal is expensive and this can mean less profit or higher prices. Neither of those options is favourable when running a business so COMPARES hopes to bring in methods that will drastically reduce the company’s outgoings, making them more competitive in a difficult market.
Tourist providers such as B+B’s, guesthouses, hostel and hotels will all benefit. The tourist industry predicts that visitors to Inishowen will care about their carbon footprint and this initiative will become part of the Inishowen holiday experience.
Starting slowly with a few low energy bulbs, eventually working up to solar and wind power will put service providers ahead of the competition around the country. I’m sure that there will be a few vegetable patches and compost bins included in the scheme as well, if I have anything to do with it!
Environmental
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