Power Where It’s Needed the Most: A Geo-Targeted Strategy for Clean Energy in County Sligo

Project Description

How can rural Irish households escape the grip of energy poverty while contributing meaningfully to national decarbonization goals? - This research addresses that challenge by developing a geotargeted framework to target renewable energy and storage interventions where they are needed most, in County Sligo.

Combining Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and machine learning, the study will:

• Map Energy Poverty by integrating BER data, census indicators, and housing characteristics to identify households at risk.
• Assess Renewable Energy Potential by evaluating rooftop solar PV (via LiDAR and PVGIS), micro-wind (using terrain and wind speed), shallow geothermal (via subsurface temperature gradients), and biomass availability (based on land use and forestry data).
• Model Seasonal Demand and Storage Needs by matching monthly heating and electricity demand to local renewable generation capacity, identifying supply–demand gaps, and simulating storage solutions such as lithium-ion, thermal, or community battery systems.

Grounded in three diverse Sligo communities (Easky, Geevagh, and boundaries of Sligo Town) this l research will directly support SEAI’s objective to enable data-driven retrofit targeting and equitable access to renewable energy solutions. It will also support Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2024 targets to retrofit 500,000 homes and install 250,000 PV systems by 2030. Through community co-design, public workshops, and an open-access mapping tool, the project will strengthen energy literacy, enable targeted investment, and empower citizens to participate in the low-carbon transition. The outcomes will support SEAI’s objectives to reduce energy poverty, increase demand flexibility, and accelerate renewable integration in Ireland’s residential sector.