Youghal Blue & Green Community Network: Leading the Charge for Sustainable Energy

Background

The Youghal Blue & Green Community Network, a mix  of community groups and individuals, was formed to tackle climate change and promote sustainable living in Youghal, Co. Cork. They registered to be an SEAI Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) in 2021.

Their efforts encompass a range of activities from community gardens to energy audits, aimed at fostering a resilient, low-carbon community.

The Projects

In 2023, the Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) focused on delivering several key sustainable energy initiatives to improve the town's energy efficiency. These included:

• An Energy Info Hub: Located at the Cumann na Daoine Community Café, the Energy Info Hub provides weekly support and advice on energy services, grants, and retrofitting options for homes, businesses, and community organisations. This advice extends to organising  energy audits and assistance with improving heating, lighting systems, and insulation.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Initiatives: The SEC successfully secured funding for an electric, wheelchair-accessible community bus through Cork County Council's Recognition Fund (€50,000) and an additional electirc bus grant from Eirgrid (€70,000). These vehicles now serve the community, promoting greener travel options.
• Upgrades to the Community Garden: The community garden on Golf Links Road, managed by 64 active members, serves as a hub for sustainable practices. The garden benefits from a  new wheelchair-accessible pathway and ongoing horticulture workshops. The garden fosters community involvement in sustainable food production, education and offers produce for sale at the community market each Saturday.
• A Bike Week: Funded by Cork Sports Partnership, Bike Week 2023 included activities to promote cycling, such as E-bike trials and bike maintenance workshops. These events aimed to increase the adoption of cycling as a sustainable mode of transport.
• Creative Climate Action: Supported by the Creative Ireland Climate Action Fund, the "Pathways: Creating Community Resilience" project focuses on addressing rising sea levels and flooding through public engagement and arts-based initiatives. This project runs until November 2024, emphasising community involvement in climate resilience.
• Energy Master Plan: An overall audit of Youghal town plus three community buildings had energy audits completed giving organisations a pathway for decarbonising and improving energy efficiency of buildings.

Results & Key Achievements

• Community Engagement: over 3,400 participants engaged in more than 560 events, including workshops, surveys, and educational activities.
• Energy Efficiency: the Energy Info Hub helped numerous residents and businesses improve their energy efficiency through retrofitting and grants. As a result of having an energy audit carried out,  one school and two community organisations have made significant energy improvements in their public buildings.
• Green Transport: the introduction of electric community vehicles and promotion of cycling significantly reduced the community's carbon footprint.
• Educational Impact: the community garden and various workshops empowered local residents with practical knowledge and skills in sustainable practices.