A Design for Life - Comhar New Green Deal

As an exercise in PR it generated a lot of publicity, but I'm not sure whether the launch of the inclusion of the 'turn Anglo into a Green Bank' was the wisest thing for the Comhar report to include. The media focussed extensively on the proposal which was only a small part of an otherwise highly interesting report.

Comhar lead off by making an important point, which in my words, not theirs, there has been a lot of talk about the importance of Green policy without much action as to how to turn it into action.

Comhar define the New Green Deal as follows

. Revive the Irish economy and create job opportunities through building an innovative, low carbon and resource efficient society.

· Protect ecosystems and biodiversity while reducing fossil fuel dependency.

· Provide for greater social inclusion through stimulating new green jobs, reducing fuel poverty

and delivering better access to transport.

· Build ecological resilience and capacity to adapt to climate change.

This goes a little further than the normal Green Energy discussion and touches on all aspects of our economy and our society.

Priority areas for investment are identified as

The priority areas for investment should

comprise:

· Improve the energy efficiency of existing housing stock

· Renewable Energy

· Transforming the National Grid

· Delivering Sustainable Mobility

· Public Sector Investments

· Skills and Training

· Green Infrastructure

There is nothing mind blowing here, much of it has been written down before, but it is well argued and well worth reading. I wouldn't claim to agree with all of the recommendations, but the creation of a national decarbonisation fund is a clever one, as is the idea of promoting green banking, although not in the guise of Anglo and definitely not in state ownership.

It's not a short report (at 64 pages), but then considered reports frequently are not and it is very easily read.

Another valuable contribution to the debate as to how we use the current economic fun and games as a means of redesigning our lives

Marine Bonanza

SEI has announced grants of 26 million euro for 10 Irish marine and tidal companies to help them develop the technology to make this a viable energy form. SEI has clearly nailed its colours to the mast in relation to supporting this as a development industry.

The support for marine is vital and is very welcome. It is only questionable that this seems to be the only sector that is receiving significant R & D funding. It seems to be accepting that Ireland has lost the race to develop R& D capabilities in Wind energy. Ireland is rapidly gearing up in this area and we can be a real player not only in energy supply but also in service and technological development.

Our goal of building the world's leading tidal and marine companies should be supported in any way possible, but it should be one pillar of a renewables policy which seeks to make Ireland the green centre of Europe.

Ireland ranks fourth in Electricity from Wind

The International Energy Agency is now ranking Ireland 4th in terms of electricity generated from Wind Energy. This is another milestone for renewables in Ireland and in particular for those who have championed the onshore sector.

We are now only behind Denmark, Portugal and Spain, countries who would be regarded to be tech leaders in this field. Given our resources see below, we should be moving far ahead of these countries, particularly if we seriously develop our offshore potential.

Offshore Wind Conference Line Up

NOW Ireland - Ireland's offshore wind industry group announced the line up for their conference today. I confess to a vested interest here, working closely with this group. Great line up though, including the EU Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, Minister Eamon Ryan Ian Marchant of SSE and Padraig McManus of ESB.

Christian Kjaer of EWEA should also bring a really good EU perspective to the event. On on the 12th of October in Dublin's Westin Hotel. Definitely one to attend.

Construct Ireland

http://constructireland.ie/index.php?option=com_myblog&Itemid=107〈=en&show=An-Board-Snip-Energy-Savings-and-Market-Failure.html

Not always in agreement with Construct Ireland's analysis, after all they are experts and I'm only a bar stooler, but this is a really good article on the folly of Bord Snip cuts on energy saving.

In return for shamelessly lifting the link, I should point out that their fine magazine is now available in all good newsagents. By direct implication if your newsagent doesnt have it it is therefore less than good and you should not shop their. If they are that slip shod about magazine procurement they may also not wash their hands before making your breakfast roll - not the kind of thing you want as a pandemic is about to kick off.

I kid I kid.

Green Ireland? Magazine

Not quite sure is it Green? Ireland or Green Ireland? Anyway fair play to the various people at Green Ireland magazine for putting together what is a really good publication. I'm sure it's available from all good newsagents, I got mine in the local Costcutter.

It's a brave step launching anything new in a downturn so fair play to one and all. Content wise there is plenty of environmental angles covered including a very good piece on green government and whether we can afford green policy in a downturn.

Without meaning to sound like an ad, it costs less than a fiver and is definitely worth trying.

Best of luck for issue two.

Mail on the attack

The Daily Mail ran a piece yesterday on the 'dangers posed by living close to windfarms.' They cite a new American study which argues that the infrasonic to ultrasonic noise and vibrations emitted by wind turbines can cause an array of symptoms including tinnitus, vertigo and sleep deprivation. In fairness to the Mail they do (half way into the piece) describe the sample size of the study - 38 people, and indicate that the majority of scientists believe that there is no danger posed by wind turbines.

Im sure we will see more of this study referenced in the future.