Incentives for micro-generation will boost rural economy and reduce electricity costs

The Western Development Commission (WDC) has welcomed the Government’s Micro Generation Programme which will offer homes and farms across the Western Region the opportunity to reduce energy costs and earn a guaranteed income of 19 cent per kilowatt hour for excess electricity produced.

Speaking about the announcement, Gillian Buckley WDC CEO said; “This programme represents a strong link with the work of the WDC in the area of renewable energies. The WDC has previously identified the potential of the Western Region’s natural resources of ocean, wind, and wood energy.  Renewable energy micro-generation plays an important role in serving the on-site electricity needs of farms, community centres, public facilities and homes in the Western Region.

“We believe that this new opportunity to connect to the ESB grid, the availability of capital grant aid,  and the potential to generate income will stimulate significant interest in developing micro-generation technology and indeed renewable energy use throughout the Region”, she added.

Micro-generation is defined as energy production units that have a maximum capacity below 50 kilowatts and include a range of technologies that are perfectly suited to the natural assets of the Western Region such as small wind generators, micro-hydro generators, anaerobic digestors, small-scale electricity generating solar panels, solar water heating, biomass heating and heat pumps.

“The real attraction of micro-generation and renewable energy resources is the opportunity they present to provide the country, which has one of the world’s highest dependencies on imported fossil fuel, with security of energy supply.  Other significant benefits include the potential for job creation, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through the use of ‘energy efficient’ machinery and the potential for micro-generation technologies to assist on-farm waste management” Ms Buckely said.

Ms Buckley concluded “The announcement of these measures to encourage the on-site generation of electricity in homes and farms is of immense importance to the Western Region and the WDC looks forward to building on these opportunities and to continuing our work in the area of micro-generation in partnership with state and private partners throughout 2009”.

Incentives for micro-generation will boost rural economy and reduce electricity costs

The Western Development Commission (WDC) has welcomed the Government’s Micro Generation Programme which will offer homes and farms across the Western Region the opportunity to reduce energy costs and earn a guaranteed income of 19 cent per kilowatt hour for excess electricity produced.

Speaking about the announcement, Gillian Buckley WDC CEO said; “This programme represents a strong link with the work of the WDC in the area of renewable energies. The WDC has previously identified the potential of the Western Region’s natural resources of ocean, wind, and wood energy. Renewable energy micro-generation plays an important role in serving the on-site electricity needs of farms, community centres, public facilities and homes in the Western Region.

“We believe that this new opportunity to connect to the ESB grid, the availability of capital grant aid, and the potential to generate income will stimulate significant interest in developing micro-generation technology and indeed renewable energy use throughout the Region”, she added.

Micro-generation is defined as energy production units that have a maximum capacity below 50 kilowatts and include a range of technologies that are perfectly suited to the natural assets of the Western Region such as small wind generators, micro-hydro generators, anaerobic digestors, small-scale electricity generating solar panels, solar water heating, biomass heating and heat pumps.

“The real attraction of micro-generation and renewable energy resources is the opportunity they present to provide the country, which has one of the world’s highest dependencies on imported fossil fuel, with security of energy supply. Other significant benefits include the potential for job creation, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through the use of ‘energy efficient’ machinery and the potential for micro-generation technologies to assist on-farm waste management” Ms Buckely said.

Ms Buckley concluded “The announcement of these measures to encourage the on-site generation of electricity in homes and farms is of immense importance to the Western Region and the WDC looks forward to building on these opportunities and to continuing our work in the area of micro-generation in partnership with state and private partners throughout 2009”.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Gillian Buckley, Western Development Commission, 087 223 6982
or Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086-8062540

Neartóidh dreasachtaí do mhicrea-ghiniúint an geilleagar tuaithe agus laghdófar costais leictreachais

Tá fáilte curtha ag Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair (WDC) roimh Chlár Mhicrea-Ghiniúna an Rialtais a thabharfaidh an deis do thithe baile agus d’fheirmeacha ar fud Réigiún an Iarthair a gcuid costas fuinnimh a laghdú agus ioncam ráthaithe de 19 cent an cileavata san uair a shaothrú maidir le leictreachas breise a tháirgeofar.

Ag labhairt di faoin bhfógra, deir Gillian Buckley, Príomhfheidhmeannach WDC gur ionann an clár sin agus nasc láidir le hobair an WDC sa réimse d’fhuinnimh in-athnuaite. Tá an poitéinseal atá ag acmhainní nádúrtha Réigiún an Iarthair d’fhuinneamh na mara, na gaoithe agus adhmaid aitheanta roimhe seo ag an WDC. Deir sí go bhfuil ról tábhachtach ag micrea-ghiniúint fuinnimh in-athnuaite chun freastal ar riachtanais leictreachais ar an láthair fheirmeacha, ionaid pobail, saoráidí poiblí agus tithe baile i Réigiún an Iarthair.

Deir sí freisin go gcreideann an WDC go spreagfaidh an deis nua seo ceangal le heangach an BSL, cúnamh deontais caipitil a bheith ar fáil agus an poitéinseal ioncam a shaothrú spéis ollmhór i bhforbairt teicneolaíocht micrea-ghiniúna agus go deimhin úsáid fhuinneamh in-athnuaite ar fud an Réigiúin.

Sainmhínítear micrea-ghiniúint mar aonaid táirgthe fuinnimh le hollchumas níos ísle ná 50 cileavata agus áirítear leis raon teicneolaíochtaí a oireann go breá do shócmhainní nádúrtha Réigiún an Iarthair mar ghineadóirí gaoithe beaga, micrea-hidri-ghineadóirí, díleáiteoirí anaeróbacha, painéil ghréine leictreachais ar mhionscála, téamh uisce gréine, téamh bithmhaise agus caidéil teasa.

Deir Buckley Uasal freisin gurb é an ní is mó atá mealltach maidir le micrea-ghiniúint agus acmhainní fuinnimh in-athnuaite ná an deis a thugann siad don tír, atá ar cheann de na tíortha is mó a bhíonn ag brath ar bhreosla iontaise iompórtáilte, soláthar fuinnimh cinnte a bheith ann. Áirítear ar na buntáistí suntasacha eile, an poitéinseal atá ann jabanna a chruthú, laghdú ar astuithe gháis cheaptha teasa trí innealra atá éifeachtúil ó thaobh fuinnimh a úsáid agus an poitéinseal do theicneolaíochtaí micrea-ghiniúna chun cuidiú le bainistiú dramhaíola ar an bhfeirm.

Mar fhocal scoir, deir Buckley Uasal go bhfuil tábhacht ollmhór le fógra na mbearta seo giniúint leictreachais ar an láthair a spreagadh i dtithe baile agus ar fheirmeacha do Réigiún an Iarthair agus go bhfuil an WDC ag súil go mór cur leis na deiseanna sin agus leanúint lena gcuid oibre sa réimse micrea-ghiniúna i gcomhpháirtíocht le comhpháirtithe stáit agus príobháideacha i rith 2009.

Críoch

Téigh i dteagmháil leo seo a leanas le do thoil chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil:

Gillian Buckley, Coimisiún Forbartha an Iarthair, 087 223 6982
nó Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086-8062540