180 Degrees - Season 2
180 degrees is a podcast series that looks at the energy choices we make when it comes to transport, our homes, business and technology.
180 Degrees - Season 2
In Season 2, we shared stories from people across Ireland, working towards a cleaner energy future. We talked about sustainable transport, energy in the home and in our communities, how businesses and public sector bodies are cutting carbon emissions and how energy research is informing policy decisions.
Subscribe to '180 Degrees' below or wherever you get your podcasts and don't miss our inspiring stories from people creating a cleaner energy future.
Episode 1: Why green hotels are here to stay
Our first episode features Áine Martin, Green Team Leader at Hotel Doolin, Co. Clare and Dearbhla Stapleton, Programme Manager for Business and Industry at SEAI. Áine tells host Louise Ryan, SEAI, about Hotel Doolin’s journey towards becoming Ireland's first carbon neutral hotel. While Dearbhla explains how Irish businesses can become more energy efficient with SEAI’s support.
Episode 2: How energy research is shaping Ireland’s future
Joining Louise are Paul Blount, Portfolio Director at Coillte, and Dr Lucy Corcoran from SEAI’s Research and Innovation Department to discuss how energy research is informing Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.
Paul has a wealth of experience in wind energy and is the Irish Wind Energy Association’s (IWEA) Person of the Year 2020. He recently led the model development and analytics aspects of an innovative wind energy project supported by SEAI. While Dr Corcoran leads a range of energy research and innovation activities at SEAI.
Episode 3: Why I switched to an EV
Host Louise Ryan finds out why Jan-Bart Spang, Co. Cork, switched to an electric vehicle (EV) and how he’s finding it so far. Jan-Bart explains what motivated him to make such a change, how he found the process from researching cars to getting a home charger installed, and what are the benefits of driving electric.
Shane Prendergast from SEAI’s Transport team, along with Jan-Bart, helps to dispel outdated concerns about ‘short range’ and ‘lack of chargers’ and looks to the future of EVs in Ireland.
Episode 4: Deep Retrofit through the eyes of a contractor
In this episode, Louise chats to Eoin Madigan, Waterford Insulation and Brian McIntyre, SEAI.
Eoin shares his experience working on deep retrofit projects. They look at the start-to-finish project experience through the eyes of a contractor and hear why people make this investment in their homes.
Brian discusses the challenges for homeowners, how SEAI is supporting the process, and the target of bringing 500,000 homes to a B2 by 2030.
Episode 5: Becoming a sustainable energy community
In this episode, Louise speaks to Carol Loftus, from Mulranny GreenPlan Sustainable Energy Community (SEC), about how the local community came together to reduce their energy consumption, and change behaviour that will have a positive impact on climate change.
Ruth Buggie from SEAI’s Sustainable Energy Communities programme outlines the support SEAI and other communities can offer aspiring SECs across Ireland.
Episode 6: Public Sector - are they doing enough to meet climate targets?
Louise is joined by Céline Reilly, Manager at Dublin City Council (DCC) and Alan Ryan from SEAI’s Public Sector Programme.
Here they examine what DCC is doing to meet (or exceed) its energy targets and why other public sector bodies need to get serious about decarbonisation.
DCC won the Leadership in Public Sector Award at the SEAI Energy Awards 2020 making it well placed to lead the conversation on decarbonisation in the public sector.
Episode 7: The difference a home energy upgrade makes
Homeowner Francis Clauson shares his fascinating story of building a home to an A1 rating – also known as a passive house. Louise finds out why he did it and what’s it like living there eight years on.
Susan Andrews from SEAI’s Home Energy team, explains what exactly is involved in upgrading your home to a BER B2 and the benefits of doing so.
Episode 8: Women in Energy
In this episode, Louise is looking at the careers of two senior women leading on change and innovation in what has historically been a very male populated sector.
Our guests are Martina Hennessy, Principal Officer of Offshore Renewable Energy at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and Patricia Comiskey, Programme Manager of Offshore energy at SEAI.
We are also chatting about the offshore wind sector and what measures are being taken to increase its viability in Ireland.
Bonus episode: What climate change means for business
This bonus episode of 180 Degrees comes from our recent Energy Show. The SEAI Energy Show is Ireland’s leading sustainable energy business event and this year we hosted it all online.
The event offers a unique opportunity to learn about the latest innovations in energy efficiency and renewable energy and policy developments underpinning Ireland’s clean energy ambitions.
We had a fantastic line-up of speakers over the two days. One of which was Daniel Murray, a journalist with the Business Post, who chaired the session ‘Pathway to Net Zero’. Daniel shared some brilliant insights into Ireland’s energy transition and what challenges, risks, and opportunities it presents for business. In this episode, we hear Daniel speak at the Energy Show.
Bonus Episode: Inspirational Climate Leadership
This episode is coming to you straight from the SEAI Energy Show. Fergus Sharkey, Head of Business and Public Sector at SEAI, interviews two business leaders who are actively looking to decarbonise their business for the long term.
Fergus talks to Ian Ryan from Wyeth Nutrition and Shaun McKevitt from Terra Spirits and Liqueurs who share their insights from their own decarbonisation journeys.