This article is time sensitive. Since it was written there are a growing number of eco businesses in Inishowen. (I am waiting for information 2.5.07)
RENEWABLE ENERGY- REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCY ON FOSSIL FUELS
Last week Ian Gomersall from the Inish Times attended the Conference on Renewable Energy Resources organised by the Donegal County Development Board in Letterkenny. The one-day conference looked positively at initiatives currently underway in Donegal to cope with the current global tie with oil based energy. “The conference highlighted the need for more information to be made available to source alternatives to fossil fuel devices in the home ” says Ian. “The time is right for householders and businesses in the North West to embrace new technologies and become a positive influence on the rest of the country and Europe”.
The conference consisted of a series of mini lectures from the government, both national and local, university professors and alternative energy developers. Ms Mary Coughlan, Minister for Agriculture and Food opened the day. And there were talks on renewable electricity, the climate change strategy, renewable materials for energy efficient buildings and also contributions from business leaders who have battled through adversity to set up renewable energy crops such as willow and bio diesel production. One thing that was agreed was that The North West has the potential to not only provide all of its energy needs, it could also supply a large part of the country with green energy, bringing prosperity and jobs to the area.
The North West of Ireland has the strongest, most consistent winds, making it an ideal location for wind energy turbines. Not only for the grid but also for individual homeowners. One problem, highlighted from the day is that anyone building their own house here in Inishowen is finding it difficult to source the new technologies needed for ecologically sound buildings. “I met a few people around the peninsula who are in the process of building houses that are far more energy efficient and carbon neutral than conventional designs. One issue that they find very time consuming is finding suppliers and installers for the energy saving products that they want in their homes.” Commented Ian. “There are no local suppliers of small wind turbines at present. I know of one installer of solar panels (Jim Mullin in Malin, tel. 9370304) who was at the conference. Finding suppliers who deal in wool insulation, unfired bricks, alternative structures for housing such as hempcrete (hemp mixed with lime), is very difficult.” Ian is hoping that he can put together a list of local tradespeople who are dealing in these new ideas to make life a bit easier when homebuilders are sourcing their materials and installers. “ I would also like to hear from anyone who has installed solar panels, turbines, wooden pellet stoves, triple glazing and thermal heat pumps etc to tell me of their experiences” “The grant being made available to install eco friendly and highly efficient appliances in their homes will be lost if we cannot make the process of buying the equipment more easy. The rating system for housing will be introduced soon and if people do not start to include these energy saving techniques into the home, they might find that selling the houses in the future is more difficult” he concluded.
Environmental.
RENEWABLE ENERGY- REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCY ON FOSSIL FUELS
Last week Ian Gomersall from the Inish Times attended the Conference on Renewable Energy Resources organised by the Donegal County Development Board in Letterkenny. The one-day conference looked positively at initiatives currently underway in Donegal to cope with the current global tie with oil based energy. “The conference highlighted the need for more information to be made available to source alternatives to fossil fuel devices in the home ” says Ian. “The time is right for householders and businesses in the North West to embrace new technologies and become a positive influence on the rest of the country and Europe”.
The conference consisted of a series of mini lectures from the government, both national and local, university professors and alternative energy developers. Ms Mary Coughlan, Minister for Agriculture and Food opened the day. And there were talks on renewable electricity, the climate change strategy, renewable materials for energy efficient buildings and also contributions from business leaders who have battled through adversity to set up renewable energy crops such as willow and bio diesel production. One thing that was agreed was that The North West has the potential to not only provide all of its energy needs, it could also supply a large part of the country with green energy, bringing prosperity and jobs to the area.
The North West of Ireland has the strongest, most consistent winds, making it an ideal location for wind energy turbines. Not only for the grid but also for individual homeowners. One problem, highlighted from the day is that anyone building their own house here in Inishowen is finding it difficult to source the new technologies needed for ecologically sound buildings. “I met a few people around the peninsula who are in the process of building houses that are far more energy efficient and carbon neutral than conventional designs. One issue that they find very time consuming is finding suppliers and installers for the energy saving products that they want in their homes.” Commented Ian. “There are no local suppliers of small wind turbines at present. I know of one installer of solar panels (Jim Mullin in Malin, tel. 9370304) who was at the conference. Finding suppliers who deal in wool insulation, unfired bricks, alternative structures for housing such as hempcrete (hemp mixed with lime), is very difficult.” Ian is hoping that he can put together a list of local tradespeople who are dealing in these new ideas to make life a bit easier when homebuilders are sourcing their materials and installers. “ I would also like to hear from anyone who has installed solar panels, turbines, wooden pellet stoves, triple glazing and thermal heat pumps etc to tell me of their experiences” “The grant being made available to install eco friendly and highly efficient appliances in their homes will be lost if we cannot make the process of buying the equipment more easy. The rating system for housing will be introduced soon and if people do not start to include these energy saving techniques into the home, they might find that selling the houses in the future is more difficult” he concluded.
Environmental.
No comments:
Post a Comment