Environment & Energy Management by Colin Murphy

ireland’s leading environment & energy management publication

JUNE/JULY 2011

GROWING PANDA EYES NEW FRONTIERS WATER SERVICES INVESTMENT www.panda.ie

www.eandemanagement.com

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

C o n t e n t s

- 2 E NVIRONMENT

- 17 & 19 E NERGY E FFICIENCY

Clare County Council’s 2011 Environmental Inspection Plan.

Next generation of light emitting diode technology. EMC points the way in energy savings

PA G E 1 7 - 2 W ASTE C OLLECTION Country Clean Recycling acquires Cork City Council’s waste collection Service.

PA G E 2 Environment.

- 18 E NERGY & E NVIRONMENT More companies make big savings with powerPerfector.

- 19-20 E NERGY P OINT

- 3 A IR Q UALITY

Latest energy developments in Ireland and overseas.

New standard for coal to reduce air pollution.

Energy Efficiency.

PA G E 1 9 Marine Energy.

- 19 M ARINE E NERGY - 3 W AVE E NERGY

PA G E 3

ESB led WestWave Project submitted for EU funding.

Air Quality.

Ireland loses round one of wave energy development race to Scotland.

- 20 W IND E NERGY Energia to become biggest purchaser of new wind farm power in 2011.

PA G E 2 0 Wind Energy.

- 5 W ASTE M ANAGEMENT Growing Panda eyes new frontiers. Managing Director: Colin Murphy Sales Director: Ronan McGlade Editor: Mike Rohan Senior Sales Executives: Paul Lees & Aoife McMorrow Production Manager: Susan Doyle

PA G E 5

- 13 & 14 W ATER S ERVICES NI Water investing heavily to upgrade infrastructure.

Brian McCabe, director, Panda Waste Services.

Website: www.eandemanagement.com London Office: Premier Publishing Limited, CTS, 34 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 1AT Tel: 0171 247 3238 Fax: 0171 247 3239 Premier Publishing Limited can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributors’ articles or statements appearing in this magazine. Any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Premier Publishing and its Directors. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, editor and publisher. A reader should access separate advice when acting on specific editorial in this publication!

Review of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012.

- 17 C ARBON A CCOUNTING

Environment & Energy Management is published by Premier Publishing Limited, 51 Parkwest Enterprise Centre, Nangor Road, Dublin 12. Tel: + 353 1 612 0880 Fax: + 353 1 612 0881 E-Mail: colin@prempub.com

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PA G E 1 3 Water Services.

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ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I ENVIRONMENT

Clare County Council’s 2011 Environmental Inspection Plan he Environment Section of Clare County Council has announced details T of its annual environmental inspection plan which sets out a planned work programme aimed at maintaining and enhancing County Clare’s natural environment. The Plan sets out the inspection criteria for environmental inspections across all of the environment work areas including water, waste, air quality, noise and agriculture. It also sets the targets for undertaking inspections of regulated facilities and the method for dealing with complaints, enforcement actions and prosecutions. The Plan has been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency, which defines the schedule of inspections which will be undertaken during 2011. In 2010, over 3,600 inspections were carried out by waste enforcement staff of Clare County Council covering, among other things, investigation of waste and litter complaints, inspections of permitted waste facilities, visits to tyre outlets and vehicle checkpoints to monitor movement of waste. A similar level of activity is taking place

under the 2011 environmental inspection plan with a particular focus on unauthorised sites used for disposal of end-of-life or scrap vehicles, proper recycling of organic waste by households and businesses and the appropriate management and collection of waste tyres. €50 Million Investment in Water Services Clare County Council has spent close on Eur50 million on completing water services schemes in the past two years. Under the 2011 review of the Water Services Investment Programme approvals have just been announced to the value of Eur3 million for an upgrade of the Ennis(North) Wastewater Treatment Plant at Clonroadmore and Eur0.7 million for the interconnection works to link the Ennis and Shannon regional water supply schemes. Upgrades of sewerage schemes for Shannon, Kilkee and Kilrush are advancing through planning, and a Eur6 million rehabilitation contract will commence construction by the end of 2011. The current (2010-2012) Water

Services Investment Programme Sewerage includes schemes to be constructed in Ennis-Clarecastle, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee at an estimated cost of up to Eur70 million. In addition to this, Water Conservation funding of Eur6 million will be spent in the duration of the programme. I

I WATER SERVICES

€15 Million Water Treatment Projects for Galway County Council alway County Council has received G Government approval to invite tenders for the construction of a new water treatment plant, the construction of two new reservoirs at Rosmuc and Glenmore,

Carraroe, together with the network and pipe-laying contract for the Costelloe Regional Water Supply Scheme. The work is being funded under the

Water Services Investment Programme 2010–2012, as two contracts to commence construction during the period of the programme at an estimated cost of over €15 million. I

I WASTE COLLECTION

Country Clean Recycling Acquires Cork City Council’s Waste Collection Service ork City Council is to withdraw from C the provision of waste collection services in the city from August 15th next and is transferring its operations to Country Clean Recycling, which will provide the service to existing Council customers. There will be no immediate change to existing collection methods and existing waivers will be honoured until April 15th 2013. 2

Mallow-based Country Clean Recycling is a Cork owned family business in operation since 1990. The services that Country Clean Recycling offers include domestic and commercial waste collection, skip hire and recycling. The company now employs 120 staff over three company locations, and hosts a fleet of 45 waste collection vehicles for serving the Munster area. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I AIR QUALITY

New Standard For Coal to Reduce Air Pollution he Government has introduced a new, legally binding, low sulphur standard T for coal used in the residential market. All bituminous coal placed on the market for residential use must now have a sulphur content of no more than 0.7%. Approximately 500,000 tonnes of bituminous coal was imported last year for use by Irish households resulting in the release of over 4,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere. “Limiting the sulphur content of bituminous coal will help to protect human health and the environment by reducing air pollution, particularly in the winter months,” explains Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD.

Since 2002, the sulphur content of this coal has been limited under the terms of a

Voluntary Agreement between the Minister and the industry representative Solid Fuel Trade Group (the SFTG). The new regulations will put the main provisions of this Agreement on a statutory footing. From 1st August 2011 the four towns of Athlone, Carlow, Clonmel and Ennis are to be added to the list of towns and cities covered by the ‘Smoky Coal Ban’, under which it is illegal to market, sell, or distribute bituminous or ‘smoky’ coal. This ban was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 and has gradually been extended to encompass other cities and towns across the country. It is credited with delivering significant reductions in winter mortality resulting from high levels of air pollution in urban areas. I

I WAVE ENERGY

ESB led WestWave Project Submitted For EU Funding SB's WestWave Project has been selectE ed by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) as one of the projects to go forward for evaluation by the European Investment Bank (EIB) under the EU New Entrant Reserve (NER300) funding mechanism. The WestWave Project aims to develop the first wave energy project in Ireland by 2015 by generating an initial 5MW of clean renewable electricity from the plentiful wave energy resource available off the west coast of Ireland. WestWave is a collaborative project being led by ESB in conjunc-

tion with a number of wave energy technology partners including Irish technology developers Wavebob and Ocean Energy and Scottish technology developers Aquamarine Power and Pelamis Wave Power. The project will be considered for funding under the EU's NER300 fund, alongside support under the Republic of Ireland's Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (REFIT) for wave energy and domestic grant funding. The project is in line with ESB's strategy to develop 150MW of electricity from ocean energy by 2020 and the Irish Government's strategy to generate 500MW from ocean energy in the same period.

In a further development, ESB has been awarded Foreshore Exploration Licenses for the WestWave Project by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG). This will enable ESB to conduct marine surveys and resource measurements at two locations, Killard Point, County Clare and the Achill Area, County Mayo. I

I ENERGY EFFICIENCY

€30 Million Additional Funding For National Energy Retrofitting Programme he Government, as part of its Jobs T Initiative package, has allocated additional expenditure of €30 million in 2011 to the Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources for the national energy retrofitting programme. Additional Exchequer funding of €19 million is to be supplemented by €11 million savings from within that Department’s existing allocation. This will double the funding for the Retrofit Home Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Programmes in the second half of this year. Energy efficiency works are more labour intensive than other capital programmes and are therefore expected to support additional jobs, as well as deliver longterm savings to households and to the economy in terms of carbon savings. Under the Retrofit Programme, each €10 million of Exchequer funding provides leverage for up to €15 million in private sector spending. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I WASTE MANAGEMENT

Growing Panda Eyes New Frontiers The scheduled commencement of Panda Waste Services’ new Eur12 million Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant in October will herald the next phase of development for the enterprising County Meath-based waste management company. urendale (now trading as Panda Waste Services) was acquired by current managing director Eamon Waters in 1990, as a two truck business operating in the Meath/Louth region. From such humble beginnings the company has been developed into one of the top waste management businesses in Ireland. Panda currently has a fleet of 100 vehicles and has a turnover in excess of Eur50 million. It employs 270 people across four sites (the original site in County Meath and three in Dublin) and has about 90,000 domestic customers (80,000 of whom are in Dublin) with over 3,500 commercial customers nationwide. The company’s main site, located at Beauparc Business Park, near Slane in County Meath, encompasses 12 acres and is EPA licensed to process 250,000 tonnes of waste per annum. The site initially specialised in construction and demolition waste but subsequently diversified into other waste streams as Panda expanded into the household waste market in Drogheda in the mid 1990s and also the commercial waste market. Still the main processing hub of the Panda business, the site also handles skip waste and undertakes timber shredding, including for other waste operators. However, the site is about to begin a major new phase of development. Panda is putting the finishing touches to its new RDF facility, which will process household and commercial waste to generate a fuel replacement for cement kilns “The RDF plant is nearly completed and

Panda has about 90,000 domestic customers.

Panda’s RDF plant is nearly completed and will commence operation in October, according to Brian McCabe.

will commence operation in October,” says Brian McCabe, director of Panda. “The timing is appropriate because the Government is planning a landfill levy increase of Eur20 a tonne on September 1st. RDF does not have a levy attached and so we see the new RDF plant as a major investment in the future of the Panda business, which will enable us to remain competitive.” Dublin Sites Panda operates an 8 acre site at Cappagh in North County Dublin which is EPA licensed to process 250,000 tonnes per annum. The site is currently being used as a storage and transfer station with waste being ultimately processed at Beauparc. However, the Cappagh site has planning permission for a full dry recycling facility, which Panda intends to construct during 2012 to be operational before the year end. Panda’s third site is at Walkinstown in Dublin, which it acquired for an undisclosed price from global packaging giant

Compost facility at Panda’s site in County Meath.

Smurfit Kappa in 2007. Panda’s Irish Packaging and Recycling subsidiary (formerly Smurfit Kappa Recycling) is one of the

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY2011

Panda currently has a fleet of 100 vehicles and has a turnover in excess of €50 million. 5

a good outlet in China,” he comments. Brian McCabe expects the planned new dry recycling facility at Cappagh to come on stream at the end of 2012 and to start processing this waste stream.

Brian McCabe at the company’s site in County Meath.

largest traders of recycled fibre in Ireland and is the country’s largest baling facility Acting as Panda’s hub for commercial recyclables, IPR offers a nationwide service and its clients include Dunnes Stores in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. “Panda has grown the IPR operation into a Eur10 million-plus turnover business since acquiring it,” Brian McCabe points out. Last year the facility exported about 150,000 tonnes of recyclable paper, cardboard and plastics to China. “We are one of the few companies that have a licence to export directly to China and do not have to go through a broker. We now have an office in China which is sourcing markets for Panda to sell in to,” he adds.

Domestic Waste Panda’s fourth site is the former Veolia operation on Ballymount Road in Dublin. Licensed to process 150,000 tonnes per annum, this site handles all of the domestic waste from Panda’s Dublin household business. Panda became a major player in the Dublin domestic waste market when it entered as a private collector, winning customers by offering real value. In 2010 it took over both the remaining grey bin and green bin collection service of DunLaoghaire Rathdown County Council, following a public tender process. Since then Panda has been rolling out a brown bin service for organic waste to all its customers. This will be completed shortly. “On the domestic side, we now have 80,000 household customers in Dublin and this waste stream generates about 20,000 tonnes of recyclables per annum from the green bin collection. Currently, we move that material on to another processor but we are now at a scale that we should be processing this ourselves, especially as we now have

Key Strategic Move Entering the Dublin household waste market has been a key strategic move for Panda and Brian McCabe expects the company will be able to exploit further expansion opportunities in this sector. “South Dublin County Council recently exited the household market,” he points out. “It is our understanding that other local authorities will exit the market and it is our intention to grow in that area. We will be aggressively pursuing any opportunities that come our way in terms of organic growth or acquisition.” Another acquisition, which has significantly expanded Panda’s business, is A1 Waste, one of the biggest skip collection companies in Dublin. Panda stepped in initially in a caretaker role to keep the business running when A1 Waste went into liquidation last year but subsequently negotiated a takeover deal with the receiver. “The business is highly complementary to Panda because we already have the infrastructure in place to handle the extra waste,” he remarks. Investing For Growth When the new RDF facility at Beauparc comes on stream in October it will open up substantial growth opportunities for Panda. “The RDF plant will put Panda on a new level. It will mean we are dealing with all our own waste and will allow us to take in waste from other waste operators and to compete with landfills. The Eur12 million investment is for future growth. You have to move with the times or you will be left behind,” he comments. With the planned increases over the next two years, the landfill levy will rise from its present rate of Eur30/tonne to Eur75/tonne, he points out.

Fleet washing facility at Panda.

Ireland and definitely in the UK,” Brian McCabe explains. “We are focusing increasingly on the UK, which is a market of 60 million people compared to 4 million here. I see opportunities for a company that is lean and mean and wants to set new standards and take a different approach.” Panda has established an office in the UK where it has started offering a full waste management service for major events such as outdoor pop concerts. The company has extensive experience of this specialised field in Ireland, handling events such as Oxygen concerts. The idea is to apply the expertise it has gained in Ireland in new markets. Complementary Business When Panda completes its plans to develop its Cappagh site as a dry recycling processing hub, the new facility will be highly complementary to Beauparc with its RDF plant, allowing for the transfer of waste materials

Focus on the UK “If our business model works, and we are confident it will, then we might look at building a similar facility somewhere else in

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY2011

“We are focusing increasingly on the UK, which is a market of 60 million people compared to 4 million here. I see opportunities for a company that is lean and mean and wants to set new standards and take a different approach.”

for processing between the two sites, so maximising both processing and transport efficiencies. Brian McCabe elaborates: “It will mean we are fully self-reliant and we are not depending upon landfill or anyone else. We see that as a major benefit in terms of offering competitive rates to other waste operators around the country and maybe even redeploying our expertise and experience to other parts of Ireland.” Eur21 Million MBT Plant In addition to exploiting its waste management expertise to build business in the UK, Panda also has further investment plans to substantially expand its Irish oper-

Development Strategy In the current economic conditions, Panda is focusing on enhancing efficiency and productivity while still seeking to expand organically and by acquisition. “You have to be a very lean and mean operation. We are not a top heavy company and we are constantly reviewing how we operate and looking to take costs out of the business in order to remain competitive,” says Brian

“We are now one of the top five waste companies in Ireland and we are growing in terms of turnover even during recession. We will achieve our highest turnover ever this year and we will make a profit.”

Monitoring & Managing Energy

ations. The company has planning permission to extend the site at Beauparc by a further 15 acres to accommodate the construction of a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant at a cost of Eur21 million. The planned MBT plant is designed to convert over 140,000 tons of black bin waste (previously destined for landfill) into coal substitute for cement production and 1.3MW of electricity to be fed directly to Ireland's national power grid. This is enough electricity to supply 5,000 homes, the equivalent of half the homes in Navan. Panda had intended bringing its MBT plant to fruition last year but has focused on completing the RDF process first.

HARP ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LIMITED has been in existence since 2002 and in that time has built a solid reputation as a quality electrical control panel manufacturing and electrical contracting company catering to clients large and small over Ireland and Great Britain. The company prides itself on the high quality of our management systems and our ability to meet the technical demands of all our clients. We are primarily control panel

specialists who provide design and installation of a controls system package to our clients. The strength of our company lies in the skill of our entire team from design to production. All our team are long time employees of the company and take great pride in the successful completion of each control system project. The company also provides a preventive maintenance programme and service contracts for our clients covering all aspects of electrical maintenance including PAT testing , fire alarm and emergency lighting tests. We also carry out thermal imaging and power quality analysis on all electrical systems.

McCabe. “It is a very tough marketplace and many operators are doing work just to generate cash flow and to keep their businesses going, probably at a loss.” He continues: “We are now one of the top five waste companies in Ireland and we are growing in terms of turnover even during recession. We will achieve our highest turnover ever this year and we will make a profit.” The Panda director sees further consolidation within the Irish waste management industry as inevitable, which will provide Panda with opportunities for expansion through acquisition. Meanwhile, the company is continuing to grow organically. “Once we have the RDF facility and the new dry recycling plant on stream, we will proceed with the MBT investment, if the market climate is suitable, and would hope to commence construction in the second half of next year,” he concludes. I

Control Panels & Automation

Electrical Contracting

Maintenance & Breakdown

Testing & Inspection

Harp Electrical Engineering Ph: +353469093679 E-Mail:info@harpelectricaleng.com

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY2011

I WASTE MANAGEMENT

Bollegraaf Recycling Machinery Offers Turnkey Solutions he 180 tonnes fully automated HBC T Baler manufactured and supplied by Netherland-based Bollegraaf Recycling Machinery to Panda’s new RDF facility in County Meath is the largest machine of its type handling refuse in the UK and Ireland. In addition to its capacity, Panda selected the baler because of its flexibility. The new baler produces bales 1.1 metre in both width and height but with an adjustable length. “The baler has a pre-press flap, which means it can handle all types of materials including wood and plastics,” points out Heiman Bollegraaf, managing director of Bollegraaf Recycling Machinery. “Most balers have a shear blade on the ram.” The pre-press flap offers low maintenance costs, low power consumption and produces heavy and good-quality bales. The HBC baler has a large operating capacity but with lower power consumption due to its efficient hydraulic system. Other advantages of Bollegraaf’s HBC balers include patented easy-maintenance needle heads for an interruption-free production process, and low noise levels because of silent pumps. The bales at Panda are bound with vertical and horizontal crossing wires made from PET, rather than using steel or twine. “PET is stronger than twine, so it makes the bale more compact, and it is also burnable,” Heiman Bollegraaf explains. Bollegraaf’s HBC range of full automated balers turn large quantities of waste into homogenous bales. The capacity and compaction force of the Bollegraaf HBC fully automated balers range from 25 to 180 tonnes. Consequently, the capacity can be tailored to suit the volume of waste handled by the customer Bollegraaf produces a complete range of balers to suit all types of applications from the

ments. It offers a complete turnkey service to customers.

fully automated HBC models down to smaller, semi-automatic machines. Comprehensive Product Range As well as designing and manufacturing balers for all industrial sectors, Bollegraaf also specialises in producing sorting systems and shredders. Its sorting installations can process wastepaper, single-stream collection and a diverse range of industrial, construction and demolition and domestic waste. Bollegraaf also supplies conveyor belts, sorting belts, magnetic and pneumatic sorting systems, drums and screens for its sorting and recycling installations. Indeed, Bollegraaf produces and sells complete solutions that are developed inhouse to meet specific customer require-

Turnkey Solutions “Our strength is the supply of turnkey projects. Because of this, the client gets a clear picture of the entire project, because he deals with only a single partner throughout,” he says. “We manufacture 90% of the machinery we supply in our own production facility, only buying in the magnets and eddy currents.” Employing 300 people and with annual turnover of Eur70million, Bollegraaf operates from a modern and highly automated factory at Appingedam in The Netherlands. Incorporate welding robots, the production lines are designed to maximise accuracy and efficiency and to minimise human error. Bollegraaf operates worldwide and has an office dedicated to the UK and Ireland market. Major installations have been recently been completed for Greenstar, both in England and Ireland, Biffa, a leading waste specialist, and Cardiff County Council. For example, Bollegraaf has installed a 250,000 tonnes per annum comingled material recycling facility at Greenstar’s Aldridge site in the UK. Heiman Bollegraaf expects the company’s large HBC balers and its complementary sorting systems to become increasingly popular in the UK and Ireland as waste companies seek to install RDF applications. For further information contact Bollegraaf UK, 6 Kimberley Business Park, Kimberley Way, Brereton, Rugeley, Stadffordshire, WS15 1RE, England. Tel +44 (0)1889 575 715, E-mail info@bollegraaf.co.uk, Web www.bollegraaf.co.uk. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I WASTE MANAGEMENT

Optical Sorting Solutions From Pellenc Selective Technologies ellenc ST develops, produces and marP kets optical sorting machines for household and industrial waste. The techniques used to sort these materials are near infrared, middle infrared, vision and induction technologies. Thanks to Pellenc ST, sorting solutions are highly valuable in the recycling industries. Pellenc ST is currently working on the

biggest European research program (OSEO Tri+, Eur20 million) which aims to develop new generation contact free, high-speed optical sorting machines for recycling and recovery of waste. The new generation machines will make it possible to meet the future needs of sorting plants and recycling units in almost all waste categories. Renowned references in more than 40 countries in Europe and worldwide have installed Pellenc ST machines. The company has launched subsidiaries in Spain, Japan, Hong Kong and the US and around 70% of production is exported. Pellenc ST is actively developing new sorting solutions in the area of municipal solid waste, construction and industrial waste treatment. With more and more references in the Irish market, PST has just installed new machines in Kerry, Meath,

Longford, Monaghan and Dublin with different customers on different applications. I

Murphy Bros Supplying Equipment to the Waste Recycling and Biofuel Industries stablished in 1957 Murphy Bros supE plies a wide range of shredders, screeners, chippers, balers, wrappers, granulators and compactors from cutting edge European manufacturers, such as Metso, M&J, Untha, Neuson Ecotec, Paal and Backhus. Murphy Bros supplies and services equipment to nearly all of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large recyclers, including Panda, Greenstar, Oxigen, Thorntons, Mr Binman, AES, Barna Waste and C&D Recycling The international expertise of its suppliers, who supply plants and equipment worldwide, coupled with Murphy Brosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; local knowledge and service capabilities provide the ideal mix of benefits for anyone considering an investment. RDF and SRF are the latest buzzwords in recycling and Murphy Bros supplies tried, tested and approved shredding, baling and wrapping solutions specifically designed for RDF and SRF production from leading European manufacturers, backed up by local installation, maintenance and after sales service. Murphy Bros offers an extensive range of shredders to suit virtually every application from the smallest joinery shop to the largest incineration plant. Applications include: wood, green waste, plastic, paper, card10

board, WEEE, household, commercial and industrial waste, light metals, RDF & SRF etc. The company has just added the Dicom Paal range of static and mobile compactors and vertical balers to its portfolio. In more recent years a number of different products for use in the biofuel industry have been added. Woodchippers and Blowers from NHS and MUS-MAX, Willow and Tree planters from Egedal, Pelleting equipment from Munch, Firewood production equipment from BGU as well as Mulchers and Stump grinders from FAE. For further information on products and equipment visit www.murphybros.ie or contact George at sales@murphybros.ie or on 086 2231756. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Harp Electrical Engineering – The Control Panels Specialist arp Electrical Engineering has been in H existence since 2002 and in that time has built a solid reputation as a quality electrical control panel manufacturing and electrical contracting company catering to clients large and small over Ireland and Great Britain. The company prides itself on the high quality of its management systems and its ability to meet the technical demands of all clients.

Harp Electrical Engineering is primarily a control panel specialist, providing design and installation of a controls system packages to clients. The strength of the company lies in the skill of the entire team from design to production. All members of the team are long time employees of the company and take great pride in the successful completion of each control system project. The company also provides a preventive maintenance programme and service contracts for clients covering all aspects of electrical maintenance including PAT testing , fire alarm and emergency lighting tests. Harp Electrical Engineering also carries out thermal imaging and power quality analysis on all electrical systems.

Harp Electrical Engineering has specialist knowledge in the fields of: Recycling and waste management plants, Factory and industrial installations, Commercial building installations, Mine and quarry plant. Harp Electrical Engineering also offers a smart metering and data logging hardware system for both primary and secondary metering markets. For further information contact Harp Electrical Engineering, Unit 7 Mullaghboy Ind Est, Athboy Road, Navan, Meath. Tel 046 9093679, Web www.harpelectricaleng.com. I • • • •

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I WATER SERVICES

NI Water Investing Heavily to Upgrade Infrastructure NI Water has been investing heavily in its water services infrastructure to bridge the gap between its performance and that of the rest of the water industry in the UK in areas such as out of sewer flooding and water mains leakage. nder its three years Strategic Business Plan completed in 2010, NI Water has invested approximately £778 million in water and wastewater infrastructure – £174 million in water treatment and storage facilities and mains improvement and £614 million in wastewater collection and treatment systems – including the completion of the Belfast Sewers Project costing around £160 million. The company has also successfully implemented in the region of £232 million capital investment through its Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme - £110 million in water and £122 million in wastewater treatment upgrades. This has enabled 50% of NI Water’s water supply and 20% of its wastewater treatment capacity to be upgraded to the highest of European standards. Significant improvements have also been made to the watermain infrastructure in a number of areas throughout Northern Ireland with a total of over 1,200 km laid or renewed over the three years period. The investment is delivering results. “For the fourth year running, our customers are enjoying the best ever quality of water in Northern Ireland,” says Bill Gowdy, Acting Director of Engineering Procurement, NI Water (see Panel). “We have recorded the best ever drinking water compliance and the best ever wastewater treatment compliance for 2010. This improves on the record level of compliance achieved in 2009 and means that customers are receiving high quality water from their tap; something that we normally take for granted.”

Strategic Business Plan envisages planned expenditure on capital works of approximately £144 million for 2011/12, £111 million for 2012/13, £115 million for 2013/14; and £145 million for 2014/15. “The major elements of the investment will be water main and sewer rehabilitation, trunk main extensions and major drainage projects, and the refurbishment of service reservoirs and pumping stations,” remarks Bill Gowdy.

NI Water has completed the Belfast Sewers Project at a cost of around £160 million.

Significant improvements have also been made to the watermain infrastructure in a number of areas throughout Northern Ireland.

Antrim Wastewater Project One of the major projects completed recently is the new state-of-the-art £23 million Antrim wastewater scheme, officially opened in December 2010. The project, which was designed to cater for a population of 87,000, included the upgrading of the facility and improving the wastewater infrastructure in Antrim and the surrounding area including parts of Crumlin, Randalstown and Templepatrick. “This project represented a major investment for Antrim and the surrounding area, bringing significant benefits to the local economy and the environment, whilst meeting the needs of the growing population in the area,” he explains. “The facility was designed to meet the latest Environment Agency standards for wastewater treatment. Other elements of the work, such as the new pumping station in Antrim and the closure of combined sewer overflows will provide protection to the sensitive Six Mile Water River and have a hugely positive impact on the quality of water in Lough Neagh.” Future Planned Expenditure NI Water receives funding, representing about 89% of its operating expenditure, from the Department for Regional Development for Northern Ireland. The current economic recession has impacted the level of funding available and NI Water has consequently had to review its investment plans accordingly. NI Water’s current

Second Phase of Water Mains Rehabilitation NI Water recently announced the second phase of the ongoing Water Mains Rehabilitation Project, with a planned investment of more than £100 million until 2015. The project will entail upgrading in excess of 1000 kilometres of water main infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland during this five year period. “NI Water provides reliable and cost effective water and waste water services to approximately 800,000 homes and businesses across the whole of Northern Ireland,” he points out. “Much of our water mains system is between 40 and 150 years old and needs to be replaced. In certain areas the system does not have the capacity to accommodate an increase in housing or tourism.” He adds. “The company aims to upgrade the ageing water mains system by renewing ageing pipes, to address problems such as bursts, poor pressure and leaks. Work is also necessary to improve water quality, to ensure sufficient capacity to meet future

NI Water recently announced the second phase of the ongoing Water Mains Rehabilitation Project, with a planned investment of more than £100 million until 2015.

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

demands and to comply with all current National and European environmental regulations.” The first phase of NI Water’s ongoing Water Mains Rehabilitation Project represented an investment of over £90 million over the period of March 2007 to March 2010. In excess of 911 km of water main infrastructure were upgraded throughout Northern Ireland during this three year period, dramatically improving the quality, reliability and flexibility of water supply while also reducing leakage.

“We are always looking for ways to minimise disruption while doing this work and use environmentally-friendly technology where possible. In an attempt to minimise disruption and reduce the amount of waste material generated, the project team will use underground low-dig technology where possible. Therefore, many of the mains will be laid without the need to open large trenches,” he comments. NI Water is also working with two teams of specialist local contractors Farrans Construction and Lagan

Drinking Water Quality in Northern Ireland the Best Ever NI Water’s customers in Northern Ireland are drinking the best ever quality tap water, according to the group’s recently published ‘Drinking Water Quality Report for 2010’. During 2010, NI Water carried out more than 227,000 tests on the water supplies to check and assure the water quality. “Drinking water compliance has continuously improved over the last four years. Mean Zonal Compliance, measured at customers’ taps, has improved from 99.74% in 2009 to 99.81% in 2010,” comments Trevor Haslett, interim chief executive of NI Water. “The increase in compliance this year is largely due to the targeted capital investment to upgrade water treatment works and an ongoing Mains Rehabilitation Programme.” Dymphna Gallagher, head of quality & compliance, emphasises that NI Water’s ongoing capital investment programme has delivered improvements in service and quality for customers: “Whilst we continue to make progress, we are also aware that further challenges lie ahead and that investment must continue in order to maintain this high standard and address the few remaining areas of non-compliance.”

Construction, and welcomes the opportunity to work with other local companies in the supply chain over the next few years of the project. Continued Investment “Continued investment in Northern Ireland’s water and wastewater infrastructure is essential in order to meet key environmental standards and to be able to deliver good quality services to customers.” Bill Gowdy elaborates: “There is still a large amount of work to be done on the water and wastewater networks – the growing network of 26,500km of water mains and 14,500km of sewers which constitute the below ground infrastructure. We will be forging ahead with improving our water and wastewater services through a substantial programme of water main rehabilitation and sewerage system replacement over the next few years and look forward to improving services for all our customers throughout Northern Ireland.” I

I WATER SERVICES

Review of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 he first review of the Water Services T Investment Programme 2010-2012 has been published. The €350m investment in 2011 alone, will fund over 100 contracts currently under construction and will see the commencement of over 60 more. This investment will support over 4,000 jobs in the construction sector per annum and will support many additional jobs in manufacturing and in operating and maintaining new infrastructure post completion. Phil Hogan TD, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, comments: “This review of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 has allowed the Department and Water Services Authorities to jointly take stock of progress, ensure that project milestones are being achieved and identify any actions required to increase programme momentum. Investing in water infrastructure supports both environmental objectives and boosts economic activity.” The Minister continues: “This review indicates that good progress is being made on the implementation of the 2010-2012 programme. My Department has particularly focused on accelerating activity on water 14

conservation. Nearly all authorities now have mains rehabilitation strategies in place. While some delays were experienced in the commencement of some larger projects in 2010, actions have now been taken to ensure that programme momentum is accelerated for the balance of the programme period. It is important that the investment priorities identified in the Water Services Investment Programme (WSIP) 2010-2012 are progressed as quickly as possible.” 39 new contracts with an overall value of almost ?87 million are being added to the Programme. These include a series of water conservation projects and contracts to ensure that water supplies and waste water infrastructure comply with drinking water or waste water discharge standards respectively. The WSIP was developed following a comprehensive review of water services capital requirements in 2009, which included an assessment of need by the 34 local authorities which are water services authorities. Given the complexities and timescale necessarily involved in planning major infrastructural requirements a multi-annual approach is taken to the WSIP. However, it was recognised in publishing

the WSIP for 2010-2012, that during the life of the programme issues will arise in relation to particular water supplies or wastewater discharges which may require an urgent or more flexible response. Consequently, as part of the review process consideration was given as to whether any new contracts needed to be included in the Programme to deal with such issues. The report indicates that the completions in 2010 have led to an increase in treatment capacity equivalent to the needs of a population of almost 280,000 in the case of water supply. In the case of waste water treatment the increase in capacity is equivalent to the needs of a population of over 160,000. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I PUMP TECHNOLOGY

Drilling & Pumping Supplies and KSB Form Winning Partnership or the past 10 years Drilling & Pumping Supplies and KSB have forged an alliance to bring world class pump technology to every business sector throughout Ireland. Based in Newtownards, the company now employs a total of 23 people and with the exclusive all Ireland agreement with KSB have been expanding into Ireland over the course of the past five years and now have two additional sales engineers based in the South.

Drilling & Pumping Supplies have amassed an impressive knowledge and skills base since beginning to trade some 28 years ago. Not only can they provide general information on product selection but take great pride in their technical expertise and the ability to take a client’s application and, from first principles determine the solution best suited to the technical and commercial requirements. The technical abilities are not limited to just sales, as Drilling & Pumping Supplies can also provide full service, installation and project management services. The team consists of a service manager backed up by

nine service engineers and two electricians allowing DPS to provide customers with either a full workshop service or on site repairs. Broad Client Base The skills and knowledge gathered over the years has seen the company win clients in a wide array of industries such as County Councils, manufacturing, agri-food and utilities. From an installation and project management perspective the roster of successfully completed projects includes everything from sports ground irrigation systems to full Mechanical and Electrical services for a major pump station overhaul. A recent project included three 90kW combined storm and foul transfer pumps and 10 storm water tank cleaning units for a municipal body. The abilities of Drilling and Pumping Supplies are now being used to provide ‘on the ground’ support for the full range of KSB pumps and valves. KSB are a German based multinational pump, valve and control manufacturer employing approximately 15000 people worldwide with an annual order intake of just over Eur2 billion. KSB Range of Pumps The KSB range of pumps can be found in applications as diverse as nuclear power, sewage pumping and water pressure boosting. In the sewage industry KSB has built a reputation for designing and building pumps reliable in even the most demanding applications. The KSB flagship KRT range of submersible pumps can be tailored to meet virtually any performance requirement thanks to the range of impellers available. The options include the vortex (F) impeller for solids passage, the closed (K) impeller for high efficiency and the screw (D) impeller for fluids with a higher suspended solids content. To increase the flexibility of the pump range even further KSB can now offer dry well submersibles from the KRT family. Alternatively, KSB also offer Sewatec pumps – pumps based on the successful KRT hydraulic coupled to standard IEC motors. A range of submersible units with

IE3 motors is also now available. To cater for the clean water industry KSB have focused on providing high efficiency pump units capable of delivering performance. Whether it is a high lift application or a mains water booster, the top of the range Omega family of split case pumps is capable of meeting the demands of municipal raw and service water applications with efficiencies of up to 89%. The Omega family is complemented by the Movitec range of vertical multistage pumps suitable for a wide range of duties from mains water delivery to water pressure boosting throughout an office of apartment block. The Multitec product further enhances the multistage range for heavy duty transfer applications with flows up to 850m3/h and heads up to 630m. KSB also provide a full offering of DIN standardised end suction pumps in the form of the close coupled Etabloc and the long coupled Etanorm ranges. With such an impressive line up of pumps available Drilling & Pumping Supplies look forward to making huge in roads into the Irish market place. For further information contact Drilling & Pumping Supplies, 29 Jubilee Road, Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland BT23 8WT. Tel 028 91 818 347, Fax 028 91 813 837, E-mail sales@dpsni.com, Web www.dps-ni.com. I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I ENVIRONMENT

South Dublin County Council Exits Household Waste Collection outh Dublin County Council has disposed of its household waste collection business, covering over 70,000 homes, to Greyhound Recycling and Recovery after a competitive sale process. The deal marks the largest ever purchase of a household waste collection business in Ireland. According to South Dublin County Council, its household waste customer base had been steadily falling over the years due to significant competitive pressures in the local market. This, together with the recent implementation of an EU VAT Directive and an EU ruling in relation to pre-treatment of waste before going to landfill, had placed a significant strain on its ability to provide a service that was financially viable. Greyhound was chosen for a number of reasons: The company is committed to no further increases in waste charges to customers and will maintain existing waivers for twelve months. Furthermore, Greyhound has experience of collections within the South County Dublin Council region having provided green bin collection services for the last three years. South Dublin County Council is continuing to operate civic amenity sites and bottle banks for customers in the district.

that runs between Davitt Road, Inchicore and 12th Lock, Lucan. The route enhances the accessibility of the Grand Canal from surrounding areas and creates a first class pedestrian and cycle route between Adamstown, Lucan South and Dublin City, that facilitates a secure, safe and attractive connection for commuting and leisure purposes. South Dublin County Council has combined with Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the Stop Food Waste initiative of the EPA, to build a new home composting demonstration site at Airfield in Dundrum. The site includes examples of composting bins, turning units, leaf mould, wormeries and a food digester, all ideal ways to convert food scraps into a nutrient rich compost for gardens. South Dublin County Council has been shortlisted for seven awards in the eight annual Excellence in Local Government Awards which will take place in November. I

Significant Step Greyhound was already providing a waste collection service to over 500,000 customers and has now extended its green, brown and black bin collection service to its new customers in South County Dublin. “This is a significant step in the ongoing development of the company and it strengthens our position as the largest waste recycling and recovery business in Ireland. Our customers can be assured that we will recycle more of their waste than any other waste collector,” says Brian Buckley, managing director of Greyhound Recycling and Recovery. “We intend to provide an improved service for customers in South County Dublin and to attract new customers by guaranteeing to provide the most competitive prices in the market and by providing the best service with the highest recycling and recovery rates.” Green Initiatives Meanwhile, South Dublin County Council, which was named as ‘Council of the Year 2011’ at the 5th Annual Local Authority Members Assoc-iation Awards, is continuing to imp-lement a series of green initiatives. It has just launched a new video, ‘Water Drop’, as part of its water conservation message for all residents and businesses in South County Dublin. The local authority has recently extended the existing Green Route 16

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

I CARBON ACCOUNTING

Carbon Reporting – Two Years to Fix a Framework ommenting on a report by ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IETA (International Trading Scheme Association) which has revealed considerable problems in the area of carbon accounting, Liz Hughes, Head of ACCA Ireland states: “The accountancy profession - globally and here in Ireland - is gradually recognising that, if the planet is not already at the tipping point beyond which irreversible climate change will occur, then it is very nearly at that point, with inevitable costs for business and society.” Carbon accounting was at the centre of a lively and, at times, heated debate jointly hosted by ACCA and IETA in Brussels recently at the European Parliament.

Liz Hughes, Head of ACCA Ireland.

Participants discussed the findings of a joint ACCA/IETA research report ‘Accounting for Carbon’. Worryingly, the report found a complete lack of consistency of accounting treatment by European companies for their emissions allowances. And this confusion is in an area where Europe is regarded as the world leader. For example if allowances were acquired at no cost, many are treating them as having no value as an intangible asset. But those purchased under the ETS were valued under mark to market. Urgency All participants agreed that with the next phase of the ETS starting in 2013, there is an urgent need for an agreed accounting framework. But this led to a clear disagreement between speakers who were calling on the European Commission (EC) to show leadership – while Yvon Slingenberg, head of unit in charge of implementation at the EC put the onus squarely back on the accounting standard-setters. She made clear that the EC would not have the time or resource to provide such a binding framework and urged the profession to produce voluntary guidance that could be promoted and adopted. IETA CEO Henry Derwent said the report showed a ‘horrifying’ lack of harmonisation, for which all parties were equally to blame. But event host, Green MEP Phillippe Lamberts, fiercely attacked those who made money from speculating on ETS valuations, which he regarded as representative of how the wider financial

crisis had been caused by irresponsible behaviour by financial institutions. Holistic Approach PwC partner Alan McGill argued that the situation called for a new form of corporate reporting, and that sustainability and carbon accounting should be included in a holistic view of company performance, such as that offered by integrated reporting. The role of auditors is essential to give verification to such reports and this development is likely to lead to an up skilling in the role of auditors – the days of auditors just being able to verify the financial accounts could be numbered. “ACCA has been deeply involved in the debates on both role of auditors and on the development of corporate reporting. We have called consistently for mandatory carbon reporting by large companies and will continue to do so”, says Hughes. I

I ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Next Generation of Light Emitting Diode Technology nfiniLED, a next generation Light Iproduction Emitting Diode (LED) development and company, has been launched as a spin-out of the Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork. InfiniLED’s technology significantly extends the battery life for portable devices such as cameras, mobile phones and laptops as well as for various medical and analytical instrumentation by producing more usable light, using less energy. The Micro LED technology was invented by a team of researchers led by Brian Corbett at Tyndall National Institute, sup-

Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, who launched InfiniLED; Professor Roger Whatmore, chief executive of Tyndall National Institute; and JoeO'Keeffe, chief executive of InfiniLED.

ported and funded by Enterprise Ireland. “Portable device manufacturers are continuously in search of new technologies that provide end users with extended battery life, while reducing energy usage. Our Micro LED technology extends battery life by up five times relative to the current state-ofthe-art for any device with an LCD display,” says Joe O’Keeffe, interim chief executive of InfiniLED and serial entrepreneur, who has already spun out a series of successful companies. “The Micro LED technology brings performance advantages across a broad spectrum of applications.” I

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

More Companies Make Big Savings with powerPerfector The introduction of powerPerfector technology in Ireland continues with the latest additions to the growing list of clients enjoying substantial energy, cost and CO2 savings thanks to the unique Voltage Power Optimisation (VPO)® technology. Maldron Hotels, Petitts SuperValu, KAL Group and Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club have become the latest clients for powerPerfector technology joining a growing list of Irish companies achieving energy, cost and CO2 savings of up to 15%. The unique VPO technology used by powerPerfector can instantly cut energy bills and carbon emissions by up to 15%. It does so as a simple fit-and-forget product that automatically reduces electricity consumption by 15%, lasts for 40+ years yet pays for itself in 2-4 years, never requires maintenance and can be fitted with minimum fuss in just a few hours. The Financial Times called this the ‘Green Holy Grail’ – this is the powerPerfector powerPerfector technology is already proving popular in here having already taken the UK and Japanese markets by

storm, saving UK clients an incredible €97 million and 540 million tonnes of CO2 since launch. Global clients include major corporations from Tesco to Burger King, 3M to RBS. The award list is as strong as the client list, with powerPerfector recently seeing off competition from the likes of Dyson to claim Low Carbon Product of the Year 2010. So just how is it done? powerPerfector is fast making a name as the reference for Voltage Power Optimisation (VPO)®. VPO optimises the voltage entering a building meaning a clear reduction in energy usage. The voltage levels in the Irish Electricity Network can be anything up to 245V, and yet the optimum level required by most machinery is 220V. This additional voltage is not only being consumed unnecessarily, but it also puts considerably more strain on machinery meaning they run less efficiently, fail more often and have a shorter life expectancy. For example, a 230V light bulb will only achieve 55% of its life if supplied with 240V. By optimising voltage, powerPerfector will: • Reduce energy use by up to 15%

• Reduce carbon emissions by up to 15% • Reduce peak maximum demand by up to 15% • Protect electrical equipment from power spikes/transients up to 25,000 volts • Reduce maintenance costs • Suppress harmful harmonics that damage sensitive electronic equipment powerPerfector has a 15 year warranty with a life expectancy of 40+ years and no maintenance costs once installed. powerPerfector will also target Return on Investment figures of between 25-50%, achieving full paypack within 2 to 4 years. The Gowan Group are the company behind the introduction of this unique energy saving technology to the Irish Market. Never before has energy conservation and cost reduction been so important to Irish businesses and powerPerfector is a market leading product that will deliver real savings for Irish companies by cutting energy costs and carbon emissions by up to 15%.

powerPerfector

like no other

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

– energy saving

E E N N E E R R G G Y Y

P P O O II N N T T

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

EMC Points the Way in Energy Savings EMC, one of the world’s top hi-tech companies, will achieve annual energy consumption savings of 20% at its facility in Cork, through ground breaking use of energy saving technologies. A Eur2.5 million project designed and managed by Arup will achieve annual electricity savings of 13 million Kilowatt hours and an annual carbon emission reduction of 7,000 tonnes. On foot of a feasibility report by Arup, EMC decided to undertake a full retrofit project to implement energy saving technologies at the information technology and data centre site, using free cooling technology systems. The challenge for Arup was to fit the new technologies without affecting operations at the facility, one of Europe’s most important ICT sites. The project received SEAI Energy Efficiency retrofit fund assistance of Eur500,000.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

High Powered Light Saving Energy Device Wins Innovation Award Energy entrepreneurs based at NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at UCD, have won the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s inaugural Innovation Award. The winning product, the HIDLightSaver, is the result of research by Belfield Technologies into the costs associated with lighting and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps found in street lighting, floodlit arenas, motorways and retail outlets. The Sustainable Energy Innovation Award winning product, the HIDLightSaver was developed and manufactured in Ireland and will help organisations reduce their energy costs and associated carbon footprint by as much as 35% and the technology has the potential to generate savings of Eur14 million on street light running costs alone.

Dr Ger Devlin and Brian McDonnell, Belfield Technologies, winners of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s inaugural innovation award.

Building Energy Ratings Now Issued to Over 200,000 Irish Homes Building Energy Ratings (BER) have now been issued to over 200,000 Irish homes, according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). A total of 201,854 homes have been rated by BER assessors across the country, marking an increase of 100,000 since February 2010. Introduced in 2007 as part of the European Directive to improve the energy performance of homes, the rate of BER publications has steadily increased over the last two years since the introduction of a mandatory requirement for the inclusion of a BER certificate when selling or renting a home.

MARINE ENERGY

Ireland's Tidal Energy Company Announces Jobs Expansion OpenHydro, an Irish energy technology company which specialises in the design and manufacture of marine turbines for generating renewable energy from tidal streams, plans to recruit a number of additional positions over the next 12–18 months. This latest recruitment drive by OpenHydro to attract up to 20 new employees coincides with the company’s immediate plans to scale up production of its tidal turbines to meet growing global demand for its technology.

Pictured during the installation of Dry Cooling equipment at EMC are (L to R): Ken O’Mahony, EMC’s director of real estate and facilities, Europe, Middle East and Asia; Bob Savage, vice president and managing director of EMC; and Sean Twohig, project manager, Arup.

OpenHydro currently has a workforce of around 50 permanent employees mostly located at the company’s Technical Centre in Greenore, County Louth.

ESB International Applies For Foreshore Investigation Licences For Wave Energy Sites ESB International has applied to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government for foreshore exploration licences in the first step towards developing a 5 Megawatt wave energy project off the west coast of Ireland. This will enable the company to conduct marine surveys and resource measurements at two locations - Killard Point, County Clare and the Achill Area, County Mayo in what is called the WestWave project.

ambition and sheer hunger for jobs has seen it emerge as the clear winner of the first round in the battle to dominate the emerging global wave energy industry. The statement from MRIA was prompted by the recent announcement of some 50MW of wave projects in Scotland thought to be worth more than Eur250m of investment. However, based on Ireland’s natural advantage of a better wave energy resource, world class research and development facilities and some of the world’s leading marine energy developers, Peter Coyle, chairman of the MRIA, believes that Ireland could win the second round of ocean projects and become the world centre of this job-intensive new industry if political will and urgency are shown. There is independent quantitative evidence to show (SQW Report commissioned jointly by the Belfast and Dublin Governments) that if the Irish Government puts the necessary structures in place, Ireland stands to gain up to Eur10 billion in extra income, and up to 52,000 jobs from marine renewable by 2030.

Ireland Loses Round One of Wave Energy Development Race to Rival Scotland The Marine Renewables Industry Association, the representative body for Irish wave and tidal energy interests, has expressed its disappointment that Scotland’s astute political management,

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

E N E R G Y

P O I N T

WIND ENERGY

Energia to Become Biggest Purchaser of New Wind Farm Power in 2011 Energia will be the biggest purchaser of the renewable energy produced by Ireland’s growing number of wind farms in 2011, according to new figures from the Irish Wind Energy Association. Responding to the massive increase in demand from Irish businesses for ‘green’ power, Energia is set to grow its renewable energy portfolio by over 268 megawatts (MWs) this year. The vast majority of this, 243 MW, will come from 26 new Irish windfarms that will become operational during 2011. This equates to 68% of the total new electricity generated by Ireland’s wind farms this year, making Energia by far the largest purchaser of new Irish wind farm power. Last year 115 MWs of new generating capacity from Irish wind farms was connected to the national grid, over 40%of which is in Energia’s portfolio. In 2011 this figure is set to rise to around 400MWs. The development of a global wave energy industry is expected to roll out over three stages. Stage one focuses on identifying and developing the most suitable technology and infrastructure to harness wave energy using full-size devices in smallscale pilot projects of 10 MW. In stage two, growth and investment will see the most viable technologies scaled up and ready for full-scale commercial deployment, again using full-scale devices, but this time on medium-scale wave farms of 50100MW. Stage three is when the technology is ready to roll out all over the world. According to Peter Coyle, the reality is that whichever country wins round two will become the global centre of the wave energy industry.

POWER GRID

EirGrid Completes Transmission Grid Connection Offer Programme EirGrid has completed its work in offering transmission grid connections to wind farms as part of the Gate 3 programme. The Gate 3 grid connection offer programme is one which has the potential to result in a three-fold 20

increase in the amount of renewable energy on the electricity network and EirGrid has been working with the Commission for Energy Regulation and ESB Networks on the programme. The 94 offers issued by EirGrid under the Gate 3 Programme represent a total of over 5,400 MW of electricity to renewable and conventional generators – this would be more than Ireland’s peak demand load. Completion of the programme represents a significant step towards meeting Ireland’s renewable energy targets. The Government has mandated that 40% of all electricity consumption must be met from renewable sources by 2020, the highest such target in Europe.

Smart Grid Development in Northern Ireland GE Energy is using its expertise

Dinny McGinley, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht (left), lends a helping hand to Tom Gillen, chief operating officer, Energia Group, and Peter Baillie, managing director of Energia Renewables, as they carry props for photographs at the official opening of the new Energia Eur18 million extension to the Drumloughill Wind Farm.

for grid modernisation to promote the development of a smart grid pilot network in Northern Ireland. The pilot would allow for a greater number of renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar energy to be connected to the existing electrical network— reducing carbon emissions and ensuring energy security and reliability. Using communications and advanced metering technologies, the proposed pilot project for Northern Ireland will demonstrate the benefits and opportunities of alternative supplies of energy while preparing consumers for the social changes taking place nationally.

GE Power Plant Enables Greater Use of Wind, Solar and Natural Gas on Power Grid GE has unveiled a first-of-itskind power plant engineered to deliver an unprecedented combination of flexibility and efficiency. By rapidly ramping up and down in response to fluctuations in wind and solar power, the technology will enable the integration of more renewable re-sources into the power grid. The FlexEfficiency 50

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY MANAGEMENT, JUNE/JULY 2011

Combined Cycle1 Power Plant is rated at 510 megawatts and offers fuel efficiency greater than 61%. The plant is the result of an investment of more than $500 million in research and development by GE and a key part of its ongoing work to create and manufacture technologies around the globe that deliver cleaner, more efficient energy. GE drew from the company’s jet engine expertise to engineer a plant that will ramp up at a rate of more than 50 megawatts per minute, twice the rate of today’s industry benchmarks. Operational flexibility at these levels will enable utilities to deliver power quickly when it is needed and to ramp down when it is not, balancing the grid costeffectively and helping to deploy additional renewable power resources like wind and solar. A typical FlexEfficiency 50 plant will deliver enough energy to power more than 600,000 E.U. homes.