Energy event Energy expo aims to reduce carbon footprint

IT IS ESTIMATED that almost €66.5m is being spent in Carlow town on almost 285,000 megawatt hours, resulting in a carbon footprint of more than 76,700 tons of carbon dioxide.

Members of a local group are working hard to change all that with a targeted plan and a determination to spread greater awareness Carlow Town Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) will hold an Energy Expo event in The Exchange on Wednesday 16 October from 11am to 2pm. The event will have traders/contractors in the renewable energy sector available to chat to the public about all the energy options available.

At the event, Carlow’s Energy Master Plan (EMP) will be launch by mayor of Carlow, cllr Fintan Phelan. There will also be a number of speakers, including Ray McNally of consultants Energy Rating and Planning Services.

Carlow Town Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) came together in 2021 under the mentorship of Carlow County Development Partnership (CCDP), as a voluntary group established for the purpose of achieving increased energy efficiency and awareness of renewable energy options among the local community within the Carlow town area.

It is closely aligned with Carlow County Council, Carlow College, SETU, Carlow Chamber and a number of voluntary organisations, sports organisations and businesses, and draws on the significant community-based participation of its members.

After forming a steering committee with Fr Conn O’Maoldhomhnaigh, president of Carlow College, as chair, the SEC produced a charter with a high-level vision – ‘That Carlow town becomes an energy-efficient community that reduces its carbon footprint.’ The first step for Carlow town towards achieving the vision was to prepare an EMP. In simple terms, the EMP allows a community to understand its energy demand and supply.

Following a successful application to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), funding of €25,000 was approved and this enabled the SEC to engage a suitable consultant to lead the preparation of the EMP for the town and its immediate surrounds.

This is a major milestone for Carlow town SEC to see the EMP launched at next week’s Energy Expo.