Industry urged to better manage energy costs in drive towards cutting harmful greenhouse gases 18/04/04
Media Information 12 April 2004
Industry urged to better manage energy costs in drive towards cutting harmful greenhouse gases
The Government has called on industry to improve energy management as Ireland gears up to reduce harmful CO2 emissions. Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources was speaking in Dublin as he announced details of the Energy Show 2004, which takes place in the RDS on the 12th and 13th May.
The Energy Show 2004, organised by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), is a major two-day national showcase for energy in Ireland, combining workshops and exhibitions. The primary theme of this year’s event is “Moving towards a lower carbon economy” - examining ways to effectively reduce overall energy demand through energy efficiency measures, and meet a greater proportion of that demand from renewable, non-fossil fuel based resources.
Commenting, Minister Ahern said, “I am pleased with the positive response from the business community towards this year’s Energy Show. With the exhibitions and workshops bringing together over 100 suppliers of sustainable energy solutions and services, we believe the Show will prove a valuable opportunity for attendees to interact, share views, transact business and make a Low Carbon Economy part of business as usual.”
He added, “Business and industry in Ireland continue to face major environmental challenges. The EU burden sharing agreement arising from the Kyoto Protocol has placed a formal obligation on Ireland to play its part in reducing its emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, most significantly CO2, from energy production and use. This requires real action from a number of groups - particularly the industrial and commercial sectors.
“We need to stimulate and nurture changes in energy consumption patterns, which continue to be the main source of growth in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions. It can be expected to increase the market appetite for more sustainable energy systems in everyday use,” the Minister added.
Under the EU burden sharing arrangement Ireland is committed to limiting total emissions of the main greenhouse gases to 13% above 1990 levels in the period 2008 - 2012. Current forecasts indicate that Ireland will have to achieve a reduction of up to 11 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gases. The 13% limit allowed to Ireland was exceeded over 6 years ago, in 1997.
According to David Taylor, CEO of Sustainable Energy Ireland, “While Ireland is richly endowed with renewable energy resources, we have a long way to go in making full use of these. Action needs to be taken to encourage the greater deployment of renewable and other alternative, more environmentally friendly energy resources.
The Energy Show 2004 will take place in the RDS Industries Hall, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 on the 12th and 13th May 2004. For further information go to www.sei.ie/energyshow
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For further information please contact:
Cormac Bradley/Diarmuid O’Neill
Edelman
01-6789333 / 087 6171241
Editors Notes:
About SEI
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), formerly the Irish Energy Centre, was established on May 1st 2002, as a statutory authority charged with promoting and assisting the development of sustainable energy. SEI is funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000 - 2006 with programmes part-financed by the European Union.
