COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 14, 2011

QUESTION NO. 17

QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

To compliment Management on the selection of Tallaght under the Sustainable Energy Communities Programme and to ask the Manager how this will impact on and help to further the Councils objective in the current County Development Plan of promoting Geothermal Energy and to outline ways in which this Council could use the opportunity to help the proposed Geothermal Project at Greenogue to  become a National Demonstration Project and to keep South Dublin County Council to the forefront amongst Local Authorities in the area of innovation?

REPLY:

A full report on the presentation delivered to SEAI is provided at Headed Item 12 below.

The designation of Tallaght as one of three new exemplar Sustainable Energy Communities in Ireland, is an important national recognition of South Dublin County Councils commitment to the energy and climate change challenge, and acknowledges the Councils efforts at becoming a focal point for energy efficiency and cost savings in South Dublin County. There is a full report on same as a headed item for this meeting

Following a competitive process, the Tallaght SEC was selected from bids made by fourteen local authorities, for having a forward thinking, co-ordinated approach to energy savings and integrating sustainable energy into community planning and development.  Over the five year duration of the programme, theTallaght SEC will work with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) who will provide technical, project management and mentoring supports.

 The delivery of the Tallaght SEC allows for the expertise of South Dublin County Council to be folded out into the wider community, encouraging private innovation partnered with public leadership. To oversee the implementation of the Tallaght SEC a Steering Group has been set up; members of the Steering Group include representatives from South Dublin County Council, South Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Tallaght Institute of Technology, The Square Shopping Centre, Respond Housing Association, HSE, Tallaght Leisure Centre, Circle Housing Association, Coillte, Bord na Mona and Southampton City Council (partner in EU LEAP project).

Furthermore, a number of Action Groups are in the process of being set up to co-ordinate and implement a range of projects and initiatives across all sectors (including residential and business pilot projects).

 The expected outcome of the Tallaght SEC is an increase in energy awareness, energy efficiency and a reduction in CO2 emissions and energy costs for all stakeholders involved, in particular homeowners and businesses. Through the course of the project, the feasibility of renewable energy alternatives will also be explored. South Dublin County Council will be well placed to support and/or leverage further national and EU funding for emerging sustainable energy related projects in the county.

The SEC provides an opportunity to inform the energy debate at a wider strategic level; pilot projects and initiatives carried out in South Dublin can inform dialogue at a wider regional, National and European level. The Tallaght SEC will also have an important overlapping relationship with the development of the South Dublin Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP), currently being carried out under the EU funded Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme.

In relation to geothermal as can be seen from the above South Dublin County Council supports the development of all forms of sustanable energy uses in the County. Planning Permission has been granted for geothermal electricity generation plant as Greenogue. (SD10A/0283). No commencement notice has been received in this regard.