Electric.ie September/October Edition

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 25 €4.2 million in funding for schools, sports clubs, playgrounds and community organisations M inister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today (Monday 30th August) announced over €4.2 million in funding to support our schools, playgrounds, infrastructure projects and community organisations across Rural Ireland. The funding comes under Department of Rural and Community Development’s CLÁR Programme, which is a key part of Our Rural Future, the Government’s ve year strategy to revitalise our rural towns and villages. Today’s announcement will see 104 projects supported in rural ‒ 104 projects to benefit from funding under CLÁR Programme. Industry News communities, under Measures 1 & 2 of the CLÁR 2021 programme. Since the CLÁR Programme was reintroduced in 2016, it has provided funding of over €38m to over 1,600 projects under various measures. This year, Measure 1 of the Programme will provide almost €2 million in support for projects in 52 communities. The projects will provide and improve safety infrastructure such as footpaths, public lighting, traf c calming measures and car parking facilities. This measure also continues to support projects that help adapt the environs of schools and community facilities to help meet challenges arising from the pandemic. Measure 2 funds outdoor community recreation facilities and this year funding of over €2.2 million will be provided in support of 52 projects across communities throughout the country. This measure includes supports for the development of new and enhanced community spaces including supports for playgrounds and Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs). Further announcements under the CLÁR programme will be made in the coming weeks. Consultation opens on introduction of a Renewable Heat Obligation A ction 57b of the Climate Action Plan targets a decision being published by the end of this year on whether such an obligation should be introduced, along with the planned timeframe and scope. This consultation will inform the decision on whether and how such an obligation might be implemented in Ireland in the coming years. It should be noted that no decisions have yet been made in relation to whether an obligation should be put in place and, if one were to be, how it would be structured. This will only be determined once the public consultation has been completed. ‒ The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has opened a consultation to seek views from interested parties on the potential introduction of a new Renewable Heat Obligation. This obligation, if introduced, would require the suppliers of energy used in the heat sector in Ireland to ensure that a certain proportion of the energy supplied is renewable. Any possible impacts of introducing a Renewable Heat Obligation on lower-income households in or at risk of energy poverty will be assessed and addressed as part of this process. Why a Renewable Heat Obligation? Currently in Ireland 6.3% of heat sector demand is met by energy from renewable sources – e.g. biomass and biogas. This is the lowest percentage of any Member State and is well below the European Union average of 22%. While some progress is being made in terms of increasing the use of renewable heat in Ireland more needs to be done. An obligation in the heat sector would incentivise the use of renewable heat. Such an obligation could be spread across all non-renewable fuel types. The overall objective of a Renewable Heat Obligation would essentially be to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the heat sector, though increased use of sustainable renewable energy – thus contributing to the Programme for Government’s target of a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.