Environment

Solar power generation tends to invite jokes about the Irish weather but, says Bridget Ginnity, it can make a significant contribution domestically and industrially to Ireland’s renewable energy goals ONE of the incredible success stories in renewable energy is how the price of solar PV (photovoltaic) panels has plummeted. Solar power generation is now cheaper than fossil fuel generation, with India and China leading the way. In Clare, we have more wind than sun, and the energy generated by a wind farm is about ten times that of a solar PV farm over the same area. Ireland has among the lowest solar generation capacity in Europe, with at present less than 0.4% of electricity generated by solar. However, solar energy generation is an important balance to wind for those calm, sunny periods. Also, it’s much more feasible to generate energy from solar panels on a small scale and at the domestic level. Shouting from the rooftops Looking around the rooftops …

RESEARCH carried out on behalf of Coillte shows that there is an almost universal view among the public that forests are important in helping to address the climate crisis. In April this year, Coillte, the semi-state forestry company, announced a new forestry strategic vision which aims to deliver multiple benefits from its forests and bring more focus to climate action, setting ambitious new targets on biodiversity and recreation, while continuing to deliver for the forest and wood products industry. The new approach aims to sustainably balance and deliver the multiple benefits from Ireland’s state forests across four strategic pillars: climate, wood, nature, and people. RED C independently analysed feedback from both Coillte’s public attitude survey and Coillte’s public consultation process, completed during summer 2022, which was part of Coillte’s commitment to consult widely with key stakeholders on its new strategic vision. The survey, conducted among a nationally representative sample of adults in June 2022, was combined with the response to Coillte’s public consultation process, and shows there is an almost universal view that …

FOUR leading Clare GAA stars took off for Africa this week to take part in a project to plant a million trees and raise awareness of the impact that climate change is having on some of the world’s most vulnerable people. Clare GAA stars Podge Collins, Dean Ryan, Ellen Roche and Eimear Kelly have joined 50 sportsmen and women from across the country on a week-long trip to Kenya, which included playing a series of GAA matches billed as the ‘Plant the Planet Games’, which took place in Nairobi at the weekend. Participants aren’t just raising awareness about climate change either, as they are collectively aiming to raise more than €350,000 in sponsorship support, to plant a million trees in Africa and support the efforts of Irish development charity Self Help Africa to combat the effects of climate change amongst small-scale farming communities. The event is being organised by former Galway dual-player Alan Kerins ‘Warriors for Humanity,’ the Gaelic Players …

A GROUP of volunteers from Clare were among the winners at the Clean Coasts Ocean Hero awards ceremony this week. West Coast Surf Club was one of the recipients of the Ocean Hero Youth of the Year Title. The West Coast Surf Club is a surf non-profit club based out of Lahinch with 270 members, who work regularly with Clean Coasts group Keep Lahinch Clean, and host beach cleans in the area. In particular, the junior board riders in the club are very active participants in these beach cleaning events and take great pride in participating. The work of Spanish Point Community group was also showcased during the ceremony, being one of the nominees in the group of the year category. This year, the group got involved in a lot of activities, including the Big Beach Clean, Clean Coasts Rocky Shore Safari with David Wall of National Biodiversity Data Centre, #2minutebeachclean and Think Before You Flush, and many other sustainable …

SHANNON Airport was the ninth biggest emitter of CO2 in the Republic of Ireland last year, according to data provided by the Climate TRACE organisation. In Ireland, Dublin Airport was the single biggest emitter, with Drogheda and Ballyconnell Cement plants second and third. Dublin City roads were fourth , while number five was the Limerick cement plant in Mungret. Along with Shannon in ninth, Cork and Knock Airports were at ten and 11 on the list respectively. Last week at COP27 Climate TRACE released what it describes as “the most detailed facility-level global inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to date, including emissions data for 72,612 individual sources worldwide”. “The 70,000+ individual sites — including specific power plants, steel mills, urban road networks, and oil and gas fields — represent the top known sources of emissions in the power sector, oil and gas production and refining, shipping, aviation, mining, waste, agriculture, road transportation, and the production of steel, cement, and …

A WINDFARM development proposed for a site in west Clare will not be fast-tracked, An Bord Pleanála has decided. Whitebeam Renewables had made a case to allow plans for six turbines, an energy storage unit and a substation to go directly to the board, under the provisions of the Strategic Infrastructure Act. The development is earmarked for a site covering the townlands of Doolough, Glenmore and Cahermurphy, 4.5km north of Kilmihil. In a decision made earlier this month, the appeals board decided that while the development would meet the criteria as an energy infrastructure project, it does not qualify for the fast-track application process on the grounds of its scale.  The board received a request in June from Whitebeam Renewables for a determination on whether or not the development could be submitted as a Strategic Infrastructure application. This would cut down on the likelihood of hurdles like objections and appeals. Consultation meetings took place in July and September and Whitebeam …

THE Shannon Estuary presents a unique opportunity and is best placed in Ireland and Europe to develop the Atlantic floating offshore wind industry and help the country reach its climate goals, according to a new report. The review of the Shannon Foynes Port Company’s Vision 2041 masterplan by global experts Bechtel supports the development of offshore wind in the region. The report explains how the deep waters of the Shannon Estuary, almost unrivalled in a European context, would not only facilitate the deployment of floating offshore wind at scale from Europe’s best wind on Ireland’s west coast but help decongest the Irish supply chain through the provision of road and rail linked container services. Bechtel are global experts in ports, having delivered facilities around the world, including Khalifa Port, the most advanced trading hub in the Middle East. The report, which was launched by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan, TD, found that development of the Shannon …

A STRATEGY aimed at improving the lives of older people in Ennis has helped the county capital win a prestigious national award. The Ennis Age Friendly Town Strategy (2021) has won the ‘Age Friendly Environment’ award at the National Age Friendly Recognition and Achievement Awards 2022. The Age Friendly Environment award recognises projects that bring about change in the built physical environment with older people in mind. Simple additions such as adequate public seating, level footpaths and appropriate crossing times at pedestrian crossings all have a huge impact on the ability of older people to be active in their towns and villages.   The Ennis Age Friendly Town Strategy was formulated and implemented by the Ennis Age Friendly Town Team, a group formed by the Age Friendly Programme Manager and led by Ennis Municipal District. The strategy contained actions across a number of areas including improvements in the physical environment, urban policing, social and recreational infrastructure, health and wellbeing and age-friendly …