RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY FOR COUNTY MEATH 2017 · 2017-09-29 · Newgrange and Dowth visable above the River Boyne Cairn T, Sliabh Na Caillighe, Loughcrew, Oldcastle Spire of Loyd

RENEWABLEENERGY

STRATEGY FOR

COUNTYMEATH

2017

MEATH ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK POLICY DOCUMENT

Meath Environmental Network, a consortium of diverse groups with a common interest in the natural environment, have worked together on the proposal to provide a Renewable Energy Strategy for County Meath

Newgrange and Dowth visable above the River Boyne

Cairn T, Sliabh Na Caillighe, Loughcrew, Oldcastle

Spire of LoydThe tower, a mock lighthouse, was erectedin 1791 by the First Earl of Bective inmemory of his father Sir Thomas Taylor, Thearchitect was Henry Baker who completedthe design of the Kings Inn in Dublin afterGandon. The tower has an internal spiralstone staircase and was used in the 19thcentury to view the horseracing and thehunt.A section of land adjoining the tower wasgiven to the Kells Union Workhouse in 1851to be used as a paupers’ graveyard. Afamine road existed between the paupers’graveyard and the workhouse which wassituated to the west of the Fair Green.

Kells Heritage Trail

RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY for COUNTY MEATH 2017

Table of Contents..............................................1RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY FOR

MEATH 2017 Abstract / Vision............21.0 BACKGROUND..................................... 31.1 Renewable Energy Strategy for

County Meath .......................................... 41.2 Objectives ................................................ 41.3 Strategic Aims.......................................... 51.4 Strategic Planning .................................... 51.5 Procedural Considerations...................... 6

2.0 OVERVIEW OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TYPES................................... 7

2.1 Wind Energy............................................ 72.2 Bioenergy.................................................92.3 Geothermal.............................................112.4 Hydropower........................................... 142.5 Solar Energy...........................................142.6 Ocean Energy.........................................162.7 Combined Heat and Power.................... 172.8 Microgeneration & Auto Production..... 18

3.0 RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES and THEIR POTENTIAL for COUNTY MEATH..................................................20

3.1 Background........................................... 203.2 How to achieve a stable renewables

supply in Ireland and Co. Meath .........213.3 Renewable Energy Sources, which

could contribute locally.......................... 223.4 Wind Energy........................................... 223.5 Deep Geothermal Energy .......................233.6 Shallow Geothermal Energy................... 243.7 Land based Geothermal Energy .............243.8 Solar Power potential for Co. Meath ..... 25.3.9 Biomass...................................................253.10 Biogas..................................................... 253.11 Hydroelectric Power............................... 263.12 Other potential renewable

energy sources.........................................264.0 CONCLUSION.....................................27

Recommendations ..................................28Appendix 1 References .........................30Appendix 2 Glossary of Terms.............. 31Appendix 3 Bodies recommended for consultation on the LARES....................32Appendix 4 Turbines as PlanningExempted Developments........................ 32Agricultural/Commercial Exemption..... 32Summary of all exemptions.................... 33

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ABSTRACTThe key objectives of this policy for a Renewable

Energy Strategy in County Meath are todevelop a planning framework to support andunderpin the core strategy policies andobjectives of Climate Change Strategy andEnergy Management Action Plan 2011-2012including community to attain those targetswhilst protecting our renewable resources sothey may provide not just for this generationbut those coming after us.

Its core aim is to ensure that the County continuesto be a leader in addressing climate changethrough the facilitation of communityinclusive, appropriately located renewableenergy developments and through supportingenergy efficiency in all sectors of the countyusage electricity, transport, heating.

This Renewable Energy Strategy should be

incorporated into the existing CountyDevelopment Plan by way of a variationprocess and underpinned by an agreed visionas follows:

VisionMeath County Council should support and

facilitate the sustainable development ofrenewable energy production and use inCounty Meath, in line with the strategic goalsset out by the Department of Communications,Energy and Natural Resources whilstbalancing the need for community renewableenergy development and the protection of theenvironmental, cultural and heritage assets ofthe county. This may be achieved byunderpinning the use of renewable energyresources and in development areas by thelocal authority.


MEATH ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK POLICY DOCUMENT

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the three sectors. The electricity sector playsthe most significant role. Our overall RE targetof 16% will be met from approximately 40%RE in electricity consumption, 12% in the heatsector and 10% in the transport sector.

Ireland by 2050: A radical transformation of Ireland’s energy

system is required to meet our climate policyobjectives. This transformation will result in alow carbon energy system by 2050. By this wemean that Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGemissions) from the energy sector will need tobe reduced by between 80% and 95%,compared to 1990 levels. By 2100 our GHGemissions will have fallen to zero or below.

(Government White Paper, December 2015).Current targets:Ireland’s current targets relating to GHG

emissions are a 20% reduction in emissionsfrom 2005 levels by 2020 and that we reach20% of our energy consumed from renewables– under existing policies we will show anexcess of 4-7Mt of non-Emissions TradingSystem (ETS) Emissions at a cost to theexchequer of an estimated 200m€/yr. (PaulMulvaney, the Executive Director, Innovationat the ESB). Ireland’s 2020 GHG emissionsreduction target applies to the non-tradedsector which encompasses elements of theeconomy outside the EU’s ETS. The finaldetermination of whether Ireland meets its2020 emission target will be based on thecumulative performance as against the annualtargets between 2013 and 2020.

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1.0 BackgroundHistorically there has been renewable energy

available from many sources: hydro, wind,burning of renewable fuel sources (wood). Thelargescale use of coal fueled the industrialrevolution in the 18th and 19th centuries andoil/gas deposits have only been with us sincethe centralised use of electricity in the1900swith nuclear and natural gas use coming onstream in the 1970’s.

As energy is neither created nor destroyed it is theenergy transformation mechanism we chooseto use, which has the potential to releasegeologically trapped carbon or not – simplythat.

Excluding geologicallytrapped carbon sourcesfor energy generationwe have radiant heat(sun) thermal heatderived from thesun/earth (solar,geothermal),gravitational energyderived from theEarths gravitationalpull (tidal, hydro) andnuclear.

What is driving change and why?The need for change is driven by the recognition

that global warming is occurring which hasresulted in the various commitments we havemade, as a race, to ameliorate anthropogenicclimate change. These have been summarizedin the Kyoto Protocol and the various reportsfrom the Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC) leading to the ParisDeclaration December, 2015 and Ireland’sratification in 2016. There are fundamentalchanges, required to take place if we are toprovide the energy required for “business asusual”, within the limits we must place uponourselves to decarbonise our energy sources.

Energy contributes to three sectors: electricity,heating and transport. Ireland’s NationalRenewable Energy (RE) Action Plan sets outthe envisaged contribution from RE in each of

Progress towards 2020 Renewable Energy andEnergy Efficiency Targets for Ireland

Target 2020 2014 (Actual) % Difference

Renewable Energy 16% 8.6% 7.4%Ren* Elec (RES-E) 40% 22.7% 17.3%Ren* Heat (RES-H) 12% 6.6% 5.4%Ren* Transport (RES-T) 10% 5.2% 4.8%

Energy Efficiency 20% saving 8-9% saving 11-12% saving* Renewable

national and European obligations. Local authorities increasingly deliver wind-energy

strategies in response to the statutoryrequirement to have regard to the Wind EnergyDevelopment Guidelines and the increaseddevelopment of wind farms across the country.The Department of the Environment,Community and Local Government (DECLG)published the Wind Energy DevelopmentGuidelines in 2006 and we are awaiting newguidelines for the purpose of guiding localauthorities in the delivery of these plans orstrategies and to facilitate the delivery of aplanned approach to the sensitive siting ofthese developments. In parallel to thedevelopment of these local authority windenergy development plans, there is a growingtrend whereby some authorities areconsidering the development of RE strategieswith a broader focus than solely wind energy.Thus, while there is no obligation to prepare aLARES, we feel it may be useful for CountyMeath Council to develop a LARESincorporating it into the County DevelopmentPlan (CDP) and in association with otherrenewable energy strategies.

The extent to which a strategic environmentalassessment (SEA) or appropriate assessment(AA) is carried out, or required to be carriedout, will be affected by the decision taken toinclude the LARES into the CDP.

1.2 ObjectivesThe key objectives of this Renewable Energy

Strategy policy document for County Meathare to develop a planning framework tosupport and underpin the core strategy policiesand objectives of Climate Change Strategyand Energy Management Action Plan 2011-2012 ensuring that the County continues to bea leader in addressing climate change throughthe facilitation of community inclusive,appropriately located renewable energydevelopments and through supporting energyefficiency in all sectors of the county usageelectricity, transport, heating.

To facilitate this, this Renewable Energy Strategy

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Under the Climate Change Bill – Ireland ismoving to a low carbon economy consistentwith IPCC reductions for developed countriesfor 80-90% reduction in greenhouse gases by2050 compared to 1990 based on aggregatereduction in CO2 emissions of at least 80%across electricity generation, built environ-ment and transport sectors with an in parallelapproach to carbon neutrality in the agricultureand land use sector through CO2 sinks andsequestration.

There is a requirement for a mix of renewableenergy sources to provide for the level of non-GHG producing energy sources needed. In2014 8.6% of Ireland’s energy came fromrenewables of which 47% came from windand 42% came from bioenergy with theremainder from hydro, geothermal and solar(Table 1, from SEAI, 2015)

We would like to see County Meath activelyparticipate by producing a relevant RenewableEnergy Strategy for County Meath in 2017.

1.1 Renewable Energy Strategy for County Meath

Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the useof energy from renewable sources establishesthe basis for achieving the EU’s 20%renewable energy target by 2020. Ireland’sNational Renewable Energy Action Plan(NREAP) sets out how Ireland intends toachieve our individually binding nationalrenewable energy (RE) target of 16% ofenergy demand by 2020: through 40% ofelectricity consumption, 10% of transportenergy and 12% of heat energy being obtainedfrom renewable sources. To achieve theseagreed European targets, the delivery of REinfrastructure will have to undergo substantialtransformation.

This policy document aims to facilitateconsistency of approach in the preparation ofa Local Area Renewable Energy Strategy(LARES) for County Meath, and to assistwhere possible our local authority indeveloping a robust, coordinated andsustainable strategy in accordance with

should be incorporated into the existingCounty Development Plan by way of avariation process and underpinned by anagreed vision as follows:

Meath County Council should support andfacilitate the sustainable development ofrenewable energy production and use inCounty Meath, in line with the strategic goalsset out by the Department ofCommunications, Energy and NaturalResources, whilst balancing the need forcommunity renewable energy developmentand the protection of the environmental,cultural and heritage assets of the county.

1.3 Strategic Aims:-A LOW CARBON FUTURE FORCOUNTY MEATH

The White Paper 'Ireland's Transition to a LowCarbon Energy Future 2015-2030’ sets out anational objective for a low carbon economywith reduced greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions and greater investment in renewableenergy technologies. This Renewable EnergyStrategy (RES) policy recognizes that Ireland(and County Meath) is a long way off meetingits own energy demands from renewableresources, and it is recognised that significantand immediate commitment to energy (andbetter energy efficiency) is now required.While it is recognised that greater efficienciesin energy usage and support for the same areneeded continued patronage for investment inenergy production in County Meath willconfer economic advantages in the form ofjobs and investment. In addition to meeting itsown energy needs, County Meath will benefitthrough its contribution to national renewabletargets, in a renewable energy framework thatwill also ensure the protection of localenvironmental assets.

It is the strategic aim of this Renewable EnergyStrategy policy to facilitate a low-carbonfuture in County Meath, by supporting thesustainable development of the renewableenergy sector in County Meath. Commitmentto the Renewable Strategy should be reflectedin the Council’s Local Economic and Com-munity Plan (LECP) with a key objective to


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improve the sustainability of the county’senergy use to enable sustainable localeconomic development. This RenewableEnergy Strategy policy document wouldsupport the objectives of the LECP as theyrelate to green economy and it is expected thatthe development of a sustainable energy basealong with investment in efficiency wouldconfer an economic advantage to the countyin the form of sustainable jobs and investment.

There are two main policy responses to climatechange: mitigation and adaptation. TheCounty Meath RES should facilitate themitigation of climate change by supportingrenewable energy sources as an alternative tofossil fuels thereby reducing GHG emissions.

1.4 Strategic Planning Framework

Framework A planning and regulatory frameworkfor renewable energy development in CountyMeath would be advised to provide certainty andclarity to both communities and developmentbodies alike and would ensure consistency inplanning decisions. It would also ensure that allproposals and decisions are communicated toand promoted with all stakeholders, generalpublic, industry participants and the widerinterested parties.

Scope for future scientific developments will needto be taken into account when planning energyrequirements and taking action which couldfundamentally change the nature of Irishlandscape. For example, in relation toconduction of electricity according to ProfessorSeamus Davis, Professor of Physics at CornellUniversity, Itacha, New York; “Roomtemperature superconductors would improve thepower efficiency and stability of power networksworldwide. They would greatly improve theability to send more power into built-up areaswithout digging up all the streets and wouldrevolutionise IT, because laptops, tablets, iPadsand so on would use little or no energy andfurthermore would be 1,000 to 10,000 timesfaster than at present. Room temperature superconductors will also be very important for highenergy physics, fundamental science, medicineand future forms of medicine.

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conservation implications of any plan orproject, alone and in combination with otherplans or projects that might affect any Natura2000 site (Article 6 (3) of the HabitatsDirective). ‘Plan’ and ‘project’ are not definedin the Habitats Directive but European Courtof Justice (ECJ) case law indicates that bothshould be given a very broad interpretation.‘Plans’ include all statutory and non-statutoryland use and framework and sectoral plans andstrategies to the extent that they have thepotential to have significant effects on aNatura 2000 site.

To assist planning authorities, the Department ofthe Environment, Community and LocalGovernment (DECLG) published AppropriateAssessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland:Guidance for Planning Authorities (2009). TheEuropean Commission also provides guidanceon this topic (Wind Energy Guidance andNatura 2000).

C.Flood Risk Assessment Local authorities should incorporate into the

strategy guidelines on flood-risk assessmentsfor RE developments. RE projects must becarried out in accordance with flood-riskmanagement guidelines.

Developments should avoid flood risk areas, butwhere exploitable resources are present in ahigh-risk flood zone, e.g. on a floodplain,mitigation measures and testing should becarried out according to the flood-riskguidelines to reduce flooding potential andinfluence and requirements relating to Areasfor Further Assessment (AFAs) and theoutputs and activities relating to CatchmentFlood Risk Assessment and ManagementStudies (CFRAMS) should also be given dueconsideration during the production of theLARES.


1.5 Procedural ConsiderationsWe ask that all stakeholders are consulted as part

of a procedural review prior tocommencement of work on an RES for theCounty and that screening is carried out toensure compliance with all legislativerequirements to ensure protection of theenvironment is to the forefront of the RES.

A non-exhaustive list of bodies suggested forprocedural review is provided in Appendix 3

The consultees identified in Appendix 3,particularly the representative bodies, shouldbe given notification that the strategy has beencommissioned so they can disseminate thisinformation to their members.

A.Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment

The LARES is not a statutory requirement andthus a SEA is not automatically required. Wewould however promote screening for SEA becompleted in relation to the LARES as a best-practice exercise.

The DECLG has published guidance on the SEADirective which should be consulted.

The EPA ENVision atlas is also a useful tool whencompiling a map of SEA constraints andshould be considered in any LARES.

The SEA process allows for the identification ofpotential environmental impacts at an earlystage of developing the LARES and canenable early mitigation of potentialenvironmental impacts.

B.Habitats Directive andAppropriate Assessment

The Habitats Directive (Council Directive92/43/EEC as amended) and the BirdsDirective (Council Directive 79/409/EEC asamended) form the cornerstone of Europe’snature conservation policy.

Appropriate Assessment is a process that requiresthe competent authority — Meath CountyCouncil, to assess the possible nature

2.0 OVERVIEW OF SOURCES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

GENERAL COMMENTS RENEWABLE ENERGY ISENERGY THAT COMES FROM RESOURCES THATARECONTINUOUSLY REPLENISHED THROUGH THECYCLES OF NATURE. UNLIKE FOSSIL FUELS, THESUPPLY OF ENERGY FROM THESE RESOURCES WILLNEVER BECOME EXHAUSTED.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF RENEWABLEENERGYWHOSE DEVELOPMENTWILL DEPEND ON INPUTSFROM OBJECTIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS AND WHOSEWIDESPREAD USE WILL DEPEND ON ECONOMIC FACTORS.THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF THE MATERIALS USED INTHE CONSTRUCTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGYGENERATORS IS LIKELY TO BECOME AN INCREASINGLYIMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN THE FUTURE.

The storage of power from eratic energyproduction sources may be likely to become alimiting factor in their use however,developments in energy storage facilities,whether electrical or physical, should supporttheir use

Production of carbon associated greenhouse gasesmay limit the potential of materials used forenergy production by combustion orfermentation unless controls are developed toprevent the carbon associated gasses enteringthe athmosphere.

A brief description of examples of renewableenergy resource types available in Ireland isprovided below. The purpose of this overviewis to assist the local authority in theidentification of future and potentialrenewable energy (RE) resources within itsadministrative area.

Examples of current and potential sources ofrenewable energy are:

Wind Energy Bioenergy Hydropower Solar Energy Ocean Energy Geothermal Energy Combined Heat and Power


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2.1 Wind EnergyThe process of capturing the power of air

movement to turn it in to usable energy forsuch uses as transport on water, pumping orgrinding has been used for centuries. Theadaption of windmills to produce electricityhas been used in rural Ireland for decades.Recently the development of large scalewindmills or turbines has become common.There are various designs such as those havingvertical or horizontal axes, differing numberof blades etc. Energy is acquired from airmovements which rotate blades, (which maybe of various formats), that drive a generator.Movement of the rotor attached to the bladescauses the rotation of magnets relative to awire coil in the generator. This movementcauses electromagnetic induction whichproduces electrical current. A wind farm is theterm used for a cluster of turbines that areerected in close proximity.

Due to the variability of wind conditions, windgeneration poses challenges to the operationof electricity grids. In Ireland, these challengesare being addressed by the electricity systemoperators under their DS3 programme [30].

Since Ireland’s first commercial wind farm wasestablished in 1992 wind energy has beenheavily promoted in Ireland. However it hasits disadvantages and limitations:

Not all the kinetic energy of the wind can beextracted since conservation of mass requiresthat as much mass of air exits the turbine asenters it. Betz's law gives the maximalachievable extraction of wind power by a windturbine as 59% of the total kinetic energy ofthe air flowing through the turbine’[Harvesting the Wind: The Physics of WindTurbines Kira Grogg – 2005]

The sporadic nature of wind power which causeschallenges for management of a national orregional electricity grid.

The development of wind farms in Ireland isheavily dependant on Government subsidiesand their promotion seems to be driven bycommercial rather than environmentalpriorities.

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The impact of the very low frequency sounds andinfrasound (below 20 Hz) generated by largewind turbines when the wind driving them isturbulent needs long term assessment.

Onshore wind energyNumerous wind farms have been built in or are

planned for areas of rural Ireland. Such issueas the appropriate siting of the farms andheight of the turbines are a cause of concernin some areas.

Onshore wind farms currently represent thegreatest contribution to the amount of REgenerated in Ireland. As of September 2012,Ireland had 1,696 MW of wind connected toboth the distribution and transmission systems.Appendix 4 deals with Wind Turbines asPlanning Exempt Developments

Offshore wind energyDevelopers and planners are increasingly

considering the siting of wind farms offshore.The differential response to temperaturechanges of earth and water facilitate regularair movements in coastal environments itfollows that the sea is a far more suitablelocation for such units subject to appropriatesiting.

Typically, offshore wind farms are considerablylarger than onshore wind farms in order tomake them more financially viable as the costof manufacture, construction and maintenanceof offshore farms is currently much higherthan for onshore wind farms.

Offshore wind farms typically require highersupport scheme payments than onshore windfarms. There is currently no domestic supportscheme available for offshore wind asRenewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) isavailable for onshore wind only. Permitting ofoffshore wind farms falls under the remit ofthe Department of Communications, ClimateAction and the Environment for the foreshorearea (out to 12 nautical miles, approx. 23km).Local authorities will be primarily concernedwith onshore elements of offshore wind farmssuch as cable landfall and the onshore gridconnection infrastructure to facilitate this typeof project.


The possible detrimental effect on bats andbirdlife.

Studies have suggested that very high windpenetrations are not achievable in practice dueto the increased need for power storage, thedecrease in grid reliability, and the increasedoperating costs. Based on these constraints, apractical upper limit for wind penetration hasbeen reported as 10%. (William Korchinski; 2013).

Dealing with the oversupply of energy from windrequires short and long term storage indifferent time-frames short term with a fastresponse time or on a longer term over manyhours. Very high wind penetrations are notachievable in practice due to the increasedneed for power storage, the decrease in gridreliability, and the increased operating costs.

The ancillary environmental costs of theconstruction and siting of turbines should alsobe considered. The carbon footprint of thesupporting concrete bases for turbines; theamount of aggregate used, the carbon footprintof the concrete itself, the lorry and possiblyship journeys needed to carry the concrete etc.are local costs. Rare earth metals are used insmall amounts in the manufacture of manyelectronic devices but in larger quantities inthe magnets used in wind turbines.Unfortunately, the mining processes used toextract such heavy metals is causing severeenvironmental degradation and associatedextinction of communities in areas of theworld remote from Ireland.


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and state bodies that are critical enablers forbioenergy development by virtue of theirresponsibility for areas such as forestry,agriculture, waste, research funding andbusiness development. A key output from theBioenergy Plan is the identification of ways toensure the optimal coordination of all of theseplayers. Peat is the most carbon-intensivefossil fuel of all, releasing twice as much CO2(carbon dioxide) as natural gas, according tothe Irish Peatland Conservation Council. In2005, Bord na Móna secured a 15-year dealwith the ESB to supply around 2m tonnes ofpeat to West Offaly and Lough Ree Powerannually. Peat burning as an energy sourcesshould cease as soon as possible.

The existing peat fired Power Plants in Loughree,County Longford and West Offaly PowerCounty Offaly were designed in Finland forbiomass firing. Bord na Móna has operated theEdenderry plant at up to 80% of the ratedoutput exclusively on biomass and haveadvised that its output could be raised to 100%of rated output with a capital expenditure ofless than €20 million. (Source: Irish Academyof Engineering’s Response to DCENR’sConsultation Document on Ireland’sRenewable Electricity Support Scheme 2015).Calculations by Sustainable Energy Irelandestimate that greater use of biomass at WestOffaly, Lough Ree and Edenderry could resultin carbon savings alone of €14m a year.

A.BiomassBiomass is defined in the RE Directive as the

biodegradable proportion of products, wasteand residues from agriculture (includingvegetal and animal substances), forestry andrelated industries, including fisheries andaquaculture, and the biodegradable fraction ofindustrial and municipal waste.

Energy from biomass, including organic waste, isreferred to as bioenergy. When plant material

2.2 BioenergyBioenergy may be defined as the energy derived

from biomass. The bioenergy sector will playa key role in the delivery of our renewable heatand renewable transport targets. The REDirective categorises bio-energy into threesub-groups: biomass, bioliquids and biofuels.

Bioenergy technologies may be broken down intothree sub-groups:

• Combustion – both using biomass solely, andthe co-firing of biomass with a fossil fuel(most commonly used for ‘dry’ resources).

• Biochemical processes – including anaerobicdigestion of organic residues and alsofermentation and esterification in theproduction of biofuels.

• Thermochemical processes still beingdeveloped: gasification and pyrolysis (thesetechnologies are still maturing and may notcontribute to reaching energy targets in theshort term).

The Draft Bioenergy Plan provides a mechanismto inform and coordinate policy andimplementation across the sector. It consists oftwo sections: section one sets out the broadercontext for the development of Ireland’sbioenergy sector, and the current state of playwith regard to the range of policy areas thatmust be coordinated in order to create theconditions necessary to support thedevelopment of this sector. There are a widerange of Government departments, agencies

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in the heating sector. Future support forbiomass will be decided in the context of therenewable electricity and renewable heatconsultations that are currently underway.

B.BiofuelsBiofuels may be defined as liquid or gaseous fuels

for transport produced from biomass. Anumber of conversion techniques are used toproduce biodiesel, bioethanol and biomethane.Bioliquid sources include vegetable oils(rapeseed, soya and palm), animal fats andused cooking oils. The liquids may be used toproduce heating, cooling and electrical energy.Bioethanol is made by fermenting plantmaterials and biodiesel is made fromvegetable oils, animal fats or recycled grease.

Liquid biofuels can be incorporated as blends withpetrol/ diesel fuels or used on their own as areplacement fuel. As set out in the NREAP,biofuels will be critical to the delivery of ourrenewable transport target. Under the REDirective, every European member state mustat a minimum have 10% of its transport-sectorconsumption from renewable sources by 2020.

The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was initiated inJuly 2010 under new legislation. Under thisscheme, suppliers of petrol and diesel to thetransport sector in Ireland must ensure that inany given year a set percentage of their supplyis composed of biofuel that complies with the


How Biogas is made from animal slurry

is burned for energypurposes, carbon dioxide– a “greenhouse gas” isreleased. However,arguments are made byproponents that becausethe plant material isreplaced, new plantgrowth absorbs theamount of carbondioxide released oncombustion, bioenergy isconsidered to be ‘carbonneutral’.

Projects involving thecombustion of biomasscan range in size from a domestic boiler tocommercial and industrial installations. Themain feedstocks are dry organic residues (e.g.wood chip and wood pellets), energy cropsand the combustion of municipal solid wastein waste-to-energy facilities. The mostefficient combustion processes use both theheat and electricity generated in a high-efficiency CHP (combined heat and power)process.

The anaerobic digestion of biomass can result intwo end uses: the generation of heat and/orelectricity, or the production of biomethane asa transport fuel or for grid injection. Multiplefeedstock anaerobic digestion facilities varyfrom on-farm digesters to larger centralizeddigesters, using various agricultural and foodwastes as feedstocks. Examples include: grass,slurry, food waste and the organic fraction ofmunicipal solid wastes. Municipal sewage andlandfill gas can also be used to produce heatand/or electricity. The Renewable Energy Feedin Tariff (REFIT) 3, for up to 310 MW, forbiomass technologies was introduced in 2012following state-aid clearance. This securesREFIT rates for specified biomasstechnologies of certain sizes, including high-efficiency anaerobic digestion CHP andbiomass CHP.A Government-commissionedtechnical analysis considered biomass usageand concluded that Ireland’s limited biomassresource would be more efficiently deployed

Floating gas-holder type biogas plant

OverflowTank

Spent SlurryOutlet pipe

Partition Wall

Support for pipe

Outlet for bio-gas

Gas ValveOutlet

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Inlet

Inlet pipe

Mixing tank

Slurry of cattle dung and water

Dung and watermixture

Undergrounddigester tank

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How Bio-Gas is Generated

sustainability criteria set out in Article 17 ofthe RE Directive. The percentage under theobligation is currently set at 6% by volume.This rate of obligation will remain in place for2013 and 2014 but will subsequently beincreased on a sustainable basis to 2020 (in amanner which takes due account of anyrevision to Directive 2009/28/EC, currentlyunder negotiation in the European Union), tomeet the Renewable energy in transport(REST) target of 10% in 2020 and with dueregard to the requirements of the Fuel QualityDirective.

Biofuels that are produced and consumed inIreland under Article 21(2) of the RE Directive(so called second-generation biofuels) includethose derived from used cooking oil (UCO),category 1 tallow (to produce biodiesel) andwhey (residue from dairy products productionused for bioethanol production). Biodieselproduction and use from UCO and tallow hasincreased significantly since 2009. In 2008bio-fuels provided a mere 1.8% of the world'stransport fuel.

C.BiogasBiogas is generally produced by microorganisms

when they cause decomposition of - plants,manure or slurry which is commonly termedanaerobic digestion. The primary gasproduced is methane, which serves as arenewable and versatile raw material forgenerating electricity, heat and fuel, thuscontributing to a safe and environmentallycompatible energy supply.

Prior to injection into the natural gas grid or to useas vehicle fuel, biogas must undergo anupgrading process, where all contaminants aswell as carbon dioxide are removed and thepercentage of methane is increased from theusual 50-75% to more than 95%.

Biogas can be stored or can be fed into the naturalgas grid and its use is therefore extremelyflexible.

Biogas is also generated at wastewater treatmentplants and waste disposal sites. For use as anenergy source, biogas is generally convertedinto electrical and thermal energy in


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cogeneration plants (CHP units). The heatgenerated can be used to heat buildings, forexample. Electrical and thermal energy producedby biogas plants is especially climate-friendlybecause the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2)produced during production of the gasses is moreor less equal to the amount absorbed by theenergy crops during growth or the amount whichescapes as waste decays.

Thirty four per cent of all municipal waste producedin the European Union continues to be dumpedat land fill sites. The high volumes ofbiodegradable (compostable) municipal wasteare responsible for the formation of methane gas,which when allowed into the atmosphere isparticularly harmful. However with the correcttreatment bio-waste can be used to produce theversatile energy source that is biogas forelectricity, heating, cooking, and poweringvehicles as well as a high quality fertiliser. Thereis possibly potential for all landfill sites to beused as a source of bio-gas energy.

2.3 Geothermal EnergyGeothermal energy means energy stored in the form

of heat beneath the surface of solid earth. Thetemperature of the earth’s core is at least4,200°C. It is generally classified as either ‘deep’or ‘shallow’ depending on the depths involved.This energy may be extracted through heat beingexchanged with a fluid and is used for electricitygeneration and space-heating. Several studies arebeing carried out at present to assess the resourcepotential of renewable energy, such as the PlayFairway Analysis of the Geothermal Potential ofIreland, which provides a ranked risk assessmentof exploration of geothermal energy resources ona regional scale, based on assessing the presenceof an energy source, a reservoir and insulatorlayers as prerequisites for a developing asuccessful geothermal system.

Another report conducted in 2004 by CSA Group forSEAI specifically refers to the potential of deepgeothermal renewable heat for the Navan areaand North Leinster.

A.Deep Geothermal EnergyDeep geothermal energy (typically classified as

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generation in Ireland at present, this depth mayreduce as technology evolves. (Ireland 3rdreport on NEEAP 2014) There is arequirement for further study, which should beincluded as part of the current EnergyResearch Strategy, (ERS Group Report 2016).

The Geothermal Energy Bill is currently beforethe Dáil to permit deep drilling for DeepGeothermal Energy. However, there iscurrently no deep geothermal electricitygeneration in Ireland and REFIT is notcurrently available for geothermal power, aREFIT tariff should be encouraged.

The modelled electricity scenario in the NEEAPdoes not envisage electricity from deepgeothermal sources contributing to our 2020target, we would like this to be expedited atlocal and national level.

There are advantages of DeepGeothermal Energy:

• Consistent base-load electrical powerprovision (unlike e.g. wind).

• Reliable space-heating provision• Sustainable• Clean - pollution free Zero CO2 emissions for

low-enthalpy (near zero for high-enthalpy)• Small physical footprint required for energy

plants• Cost competitive space-heating and high-

enthalpy electricity supply• Has a consistent output regardless of the

weather (unlike solar and wind)This form of energy is already being utilised in

Austria, America, France Germany, Icelandand other countries. While still a developingtechnology, based on the information availablethis is one of the more promising forms ofalternative energy.

There are legal impediments to developing deepgeothermal sources of energy in Ireland.Drilling to depths greater than 300m requiresa mining license. To rectify this the 2016Autumn legislative programme featured on itsschedule the “Geothermal Energy Bill”, whichhas not yet been heard. An SEAI study in 2004conducted by SLR consultants identified the


being greater than 400m in depth, butgenerally installed on a ‘kilometre depth’scale) may be used for both thermal andelectricity generation. The centre of the earthhas a temperature of around 4,200°C. Most ofthis heat arrives at the surface of the earth attoo low a temperature to be used for heatingor power generation activities, so drilling isrequired to harness this resource. Recent testshave indicated that depths of up to 4km mightbe required in Ireland to harness deepgeothermal power. Sites on the geological“fault line” known as the Iapetus Suture whichruns north east from approximately Limerickto Drogheda offers ideal potential sites forcollection of deep geothermal energy.

This is far deeper than geothermal powerharnessed in Iceland or the better sites onmainland Europe, and is likely to be expensiveto access. The indicative depths required fordevelopment of deep geothermal electricity inIreland would affect the viability of suchprojects, unless a substantial grant or muchhigher feed-in-tariff than is provided to otherrenewable technologies were made available,or unless the development were built beside asubstantial heat demand that could make theproject commercially viable, withoutsubstantial support schemes. Technology forelectricity generation from lower temperaturesis being researched; thus, although a depth of4km is estimated as necessary for electricity

Geothermal Energy for the Home

Horizontal Loop

Slinky Loop

Pond LoopVertical Loop


13

potential for deep geothermal resources inIreland. The report highlighted a number ofgeographical areas where higher than normaltemperatures at depth were recorded. Navanwas identified as one of these locations.

B.Shallow Geothermal Energy

Specifically, Ireland possesses 42 known warm-springs (water temperatures 13-24.7°C),mainly located in Dinantian limestones [e.g.,1, 12, 22] and concentrated in two groups:North Leinster (west Dublin/south County)(Area 6) and North Munster (northCork/Mallow) (Area 10).

Hot springs, which often occur on fault lines couldalso be used commercially to generateelectricity. (66% of energy is derived fromgeothermal sources in Iceland).

Naturally occurring geothermal systems arehowever limited, not so much by the heatsource, but by the amount of fluid and thenumber and size of the fractures available forthe fluid to circulate and absorb the heat.Research into the formation of enhancedgeothermal is just beginning. Many projectsin the U.S., Europe, and Australia havedemonstrated that it is possible to createpermeable fracture networks around injectionwells through hydro fracturing and thendrilling into these fracture systems to producehot water. A 2010 MIT study, “The Future ofGeothermal Energy” claims that once this

technology is developed enhanced geothermalsystems could produce 10 to 20% of theUnited States electricity. Like all geothermalsystems, use of low temperature springs mustbe carefully managed. Shallow geothermal(also known as ground-source) energy can beharnessed by either ‘closed’ or ‘open’ loopsystems and is most frequently used forproviding heat. It can also be used for coolingpurposes.

Closed-loop geothermal systems operate bycirculating a heat transfer fluid around a sealedpipe network which is buried in the ground ineither a vertical or horizontal configuration.Closed loops may be installed into purposedrilled boreholes, structural foundations,ponds or purpose dug trenches.

Open-loop geothermal systems typically operateby pumping water into and out of an aquifer.Geothermal energy is extracted through heatpumps, typically gaining between 2.5 and 4times as much energy (in the form of heat) asis used (in the form of electricity).

Shallow geothermal energy can be found virtuallyanywhere and has been successfully harnessedby homes and commercial and recreationalbuildings in Ireland for heating purposes.There are now more than 8,500 ground-sourceenergy systems in Ireland.

A project at the Geological Survey of Ireland(2012) partly involved the development of anational geothermal energy installationsdatabase. (http://www.gsi.ie/). Over 350 MWof installed capacity already exists and thereis considerable potential for furtherdevelopment.

Geothermal energy may also be used forrenewable heat in district heating systems.

C. Land based Geothermal Energy

Work on this form of energy generation is muchmore advanced that other alternatives. Energycapture ranges from installing a series of pipesin the upper layers of the earth’s crust typicallyabout a meter deep in domestic type situations.Water is pumped through the pipes where it

14

and a number of such plants have joined theoriginal scheme.

There are also a number of ongoing initiatives toexamine the possibility of ‘pumped storage’schemes to provide reserve and responsivepower when required. A Pumped Storagescheme has a remote powerhouse that pumpswater from a low area of the land to a high areaof the land to maintain the water flow. PumpedStorage schemes are the most reliable atenergy generation due to the closed cycle ofwater flow, whereas the energy generation ofRun of River and Diversion schemes mayfluctuate in response to the weather, tide andother environmental factors. The pumped-storage scheme at Turlough Hill, Co Wicklowis an example of this type of project. However,under the RE Directive, pumped storage is notconsidered an RE technology and is notcounted towards our national target.

2.5 Solar EnergyEnergy derived from light may be converted into

heat or electricity using specifically designed“panels“.

Evacuated tube solar collectors are used to collectheat to produce hot water or for space heating.The collectors, often housed within glasstubes, are composed of differing layers – aheat insulating backing, a heat transport fluideg antifreeze, a dark flat-plate absorber, and atransparent cover that reduces heat losses-.The absorber layer consists of a thin sheet,commonly of copper, to which a selectivecoating eg matte black is applied. In waterheating panels, fluid is usually circulatedthrough tubing to transfer heat from theabsorber to an insulated water tank.

A solar thermal energy system can provide bothwater and space heating, although it ispredominantly used for water heating at


picks up the ambient temperature of theearth (averages 8 degrees throughoutthe year) then the water temperature isboosted using a heat pump before itcirculated throughout the heatingsystem (normally underfloor).

2.4 HydropowerHydroelectricity is electrical energy derived from

flowing water, particularly falling water. On aglobal scale, hydroelectric power is the mostwidely utilized form of renewable energy.Approximately 20% of total global powerproduction is from hydroelectricity, which isonly 30% of the economically feasible globalpotential.

A hydro plant is built by installing a dam to createfalling water if necessary, installing a turbinefor the water to flow through and installing agenerator to convert the energy to electricity

The Ardnacrusha hydroelectric station is thelargest hydropower facility in Ireland. TheNREAP report 2012 envisaged 234 MW ofhydroelectricity contributing to our RE 2020target, mostly from the existing large hydroplants. There are also many smallerhydroelectric plants in operation across thecountry. A 1985 report by the Department ofEnergy identified potential for further smallhydroelectric developments. (Small-ScaleHydro-Electric Potential of Ireland;Department of Energy: www. seai.ie)(ESBI/ETSU (1997). A REFIT tariff isavailable for hydro plants of 5 MW or less,

ReservoirDam

GeneratorTransformer

Powerhouse Power Lines

OutflowPenstock TurbineControl GateIntake

Waves(surge)

Point Absorbers Linear AbsorberBuoy Heave

Sea

Ocean Floor

Pump andGenerator Fixed

Deadweight

HydraulicRam Joints

SubmergedHeavy Ballast Plateand Mooring Line

Inside a Hydropower Plant


15

becoming cost competitive for electricitygeneration, not only compared with otherrenewables, but also compared withconventional forms of generation. Solar alsobrings a number of benefits like relativelyquick construction and a range of deploymentoptions, Solar panels can be deployed in roof-mounted or ground-mounted installations. Inthis way, it can empower Irish citizens andcommunities to take control of the productionand consumption of energy

The design and technologies around solarinstallations are evolving constantly and it islikely that over the lifetime of that over thelifetime of this Renewable Energy Strategysolar energy will be widely used.

As with wind turbines the sources of materials fortheir construction should be sustainable.

GROUND MOUNTED SOLAR ARRAYSThe following site selection criteria for ground

mounted arrays apply:• Typically suited to lowing-lands due to the

need for level sites. • Accessibility/proximity to electricity

networks. Ability to achieve a networkconnection, typically via a 10kV or 20kVcable on the distribution system.

• Site area of at least 25 acres. • South facing aspect with either flat terrain or

sloping gently. • Land free from obstacles that may cause

shading. Though solar farms are not specifically identified

in the classes of Environmental ImpactAssessment (EIA) development listed either inthe EIA Directive or in Schedule 5 to thePlanning and Development Regulations itwould be advisable that all such large scaleprojects are subject to EIA.

ROOF MOUNTED SOLAR ARRAYSPart L of the Irish Building Regulations state that

a building shall be designed and constructedso as to limit the amount of energy requiredand the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2)emissions for its operation insofar as isreasonably practicable.

present. Solar water heating is currently themost common application of active solarthermal in Europe.

‘Passive’ solar heating is the term used to describea method of building design to maximise solargains and minimise heat losses. ‘Active’ solarheating is one of the primary ways forbuildings to use solar energy.

Solar devices may turn light into electricity usingthe photovoltaic effect. The general principleby which they function to produce electricityis that light enters the cell through a coveringlayer that minimizes the loss of light byreflection; the light then passes to the energyconversion layers below. The absorber layerwhich is the core of the device is sandwichedbetween two, what are called, junction layers.Electrical contact layers are also needed.When light falls on a solar cell, electrons inthe absorber layer are excited and move froma low energy to a higher energy state which iseventually collected as an electrical current.

Photovoltaic cells can be arranged into smallgrouping called panels or large groupingscalled arrays. These arrays, composed of manythousands of individual cells, can function ascentral electric power stations, convertingsunlight into electrical energy for distributionto industrial, commercial, and residentialusers. Also stand-alone systems may consistof solar panels and batteries that are directlywired to an application such as a water pumpfor farm animals or emote lighting systems.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is rapidly

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projects are subject to EIA.The 2010 NREAP did not envisage solar power

making a contribution to Ireland’s 2020renewable electricity targets, but this has beenrevised. Market trends suggest that there willbe an increase in solar energy installations theperiod to 2020.

Solar energy is not a resource that is currentlysupported under the REFIT scheme. ElectricIreland’s microgeneration tariff for thedomestic sector has supported solar power forthe last number of years, while previous grantschemes run by SEAI for the heating sectorhave to date supported thermal solar energy.

2.6 Ocean EnergyWave Energy refers to the capture of energy from

the motion of surface waves of the oceanwhile tidal energy capture is a means ofconverting tidal movements into energy. Tidalenergy capture usually consists of theconstruction of a barrage dam type structureenclosing turbines which generate power fromwater flows associated with the tides.

Wave and tidal technologies are not yetcommercially viable and are still at theresearch and development D stage worldwide.Ireland has operated an ocean energy researchprogramme since 2008, through Universitiesand the Marine Institute.

The NREAP 2012 has factored 75 MW of oceanenergy into the modelled scenario for 2020.This is in expectation that the technology willbe commercially and technologically viable bythat stage. Should the technology bedeveloped to effectively harness wave and


Building regulations requirements for newdwellings also prescribe that a reasonableproportion of the energy consumption to meetthe energy performance of a dwelling isprovided by renewable energy sources. Solartechnologies can be used to help meet thiscontribution and should be recommended inthe LARES.

CURRENT TRENDSTechnology has advanced and there are many

companies providing both thermal and PVsystems to new and retrofit houses. No currentgrant aid currently applies to PV systemsthough they are now as efficient as thermalproduction systems and also provideelectricity – this should be reviewed.

Bord na Móna intend to use state-owned land inthe Midlands for a solar energy electricityproducing farm. The development team hascommenced a number of work streamsincluding the deployment of a solar resourceassessment station at Ballykean bog and willprogress development work on ademonstration project during 2016. Anothercompany Lightsource estimates that up to40pc of the country's electricity could begenerated by solar farms on 0.02pc of thecountry's land mass. In the UK, governmentsubsidies are available for solar technologies.

At SEAI’s Energy Show 2016 the Product of theShow accolade went to “Solar ElectricIreland” for their product SonnenBatterie - ahigh tech energy storage solution which alsowon them Best Innovative Product. Theproduct combines a solar photovoltaic systemand a battery, meaning homeowners can getabout 75% of their yearly electricityrequirement from clean energy generated ontheir roof. The system is already installed inthousands of homes in Europe.

Though solar farms are not specifically identifiedin the classes of Environmental ImpactAssessment (EIA) development listed either inthe EIA Directive or in Schedule 5 to thePlanning and Development Regulations itwould be advisable that all such large scale

tidal energy, Ireland has a strong naturaladvantage and could capitalise on these formsof energy. State-aid clearance has not yet beensought for a REFIT for wave and tidal energy.

A.Wave EnergyThe kinetic energy contained in waves can be

extracted and converted into electricity. Theaverage wave height off the west coast ofIreland is 2.5 to 3 metres. The power generatedis a function of the wave height, length, speedand water density. Many different prototypedevices for the capture of wave energy havebeen developed by companies. The EuropeanCommission has included ESBI’s Westwaveproject in the NER 300 scheme.

B.Tidal EnergyTidal energy in an appropriate location can

provide a reliable and predictable energyresource due to the predictability of tidalflows. The two main types of tidal energyextraction are tidal barrage systems and tidalstream-flow turbines. Barrages, usuallylocated across a tidal inlet, capture the energyof the tidal movement by creating a barrier andchanneling it through turbines. Tidal stream-flow turbines are located beneath the oceansurface and can be submerged so they are notseen or heard. They operate on the sameprinciple as wind turbines but, as water is agreat deal denser than air, tidal turbinesgenerate more energy for a given rotor size.Similarly to wave devices, there is a broad anddiverse range of technologies underdevelopment for harnessing tidal energy. A 1.2MW tidal device has been successfullyoperating since 2008 in Strangford Lough inNorthern Ireland.

C.Offshore Wind, Wave and TidalEnergy

The DCENR developed an Offshore RenewableEnergy Development Plan, which describesthe policy context for development of offshorewind, wave and tidal stream energy in Irishwaters for the period to 2030. In accordance


17

with EU Directive 2001/42/EC of theEuropean Parliament and of the Council on theAssessment of the Effects of Certain Plans andProgrammes on the Environment (‘the SEADirective’), a Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment has been prepared to evaluate thelikely environmental effects of implementingthe plans to develop offshore renewable(offshore wind, wave and tidal) energy in Irishwaters. A Natura Impact Assessment has alsobeen prepared. These documents representexcellent reference material for furtherinformation on offshore RE development.

2.7 Combined Heat and Power

Combined heat and power (CHP) is a technologythat uses the energy produced in thecombustion of fuel to produce both useful heatenergy and electricity. CHP can refer to gas-fired CHP or biomass CHP. Biomass CHP is aform of RE.

In many scenarios, CHP increases the totalamount of useful energy that is produced froma fuel when it is burned. However, the ratio ofproduction of heat and electricity from a CHPunit is often fixed – i.e. when you turn the unitup or down to get more of one type of energy,you automatically get more of the other. Forthis reason, it is important that, with CHPunits, careful consideration is given to the‘demand’ for energy that the unit is trying tosatisfy in terms of both electricity and heat.

While the development of CHP units is oftenassociated with industries and commercialentities that have constant or predictable heatand electricity demand, the application of CHPis now becoming more widespread across abroader range of uses, we would like to see itencouraged as part of all planning applicationmade – where suitable.

REFIT tariffs for biomass technologiesspecifically reserve a set number of MW forbiomass high-efficiency CHP. It would bepositive to see an increase in the biomass

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enter the microgeneration market to date andthere is no other support scheme available atpresent. The DCENR and SEAI are currentlyexamining policy options around themicrogeneration sector and how it might betaken forward. Those wishing to connectmicrogeneration may do so by complying withthe conditions for connecting micro-generation set out by ESB Networks on theirwebsite.

Depending on their cost effectiveness and userappeal, certain types of these technologiesmay see rapid market uptake in the comingyears and contribute to energy andenvironmental policy objectives. SEAIimplemented the Small and Micro-ScaleGeneration Programme and pilot field trials toassess the potential of some of thesegenerators to contribute to energy supply, andto monitor their performance.

There is no universally agreed definition ofmicrogeneration, but it is generally acceptedto apply to very small scale electricitygenerators with an electrical output of lessthan 50kWe. The definition has also beenextended to renewable heat energy-generatingtechnologies; for example, in the UK,microgeneration is defined, in section 82 ofthe Energy Act 2004, as the small-scaleproduction of heat and/or electricity from alow-carbon source. There are some provisionsin legislation and standards adopted in Ireland,key among these being:

t The European CHP Directive (2004/8/EC),was brought into law in Ireland in S.I. 298 of2009, which brought Section 6 of the Energy(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 intooperation. It applies to micro-CHP plants witha maximum capacity of less than 50 kWe, andthus would cover domestic and smallcommercial and industrial applications.

t The CENELEC Standard EN50438 wasadopted by the CER in a decision paper formicrogeneration in Ireland. It applies toequipment rated up to 16A per phase for three-phase (11 kWe), or up to 25A for single-phase(6 kWe), which covers primarily domestic andvery small commercial applications.


contribution in Meath taking advantage ofadditional high efficiency biomass CHP andthe introduction of the REFIT scheme forbiomass technologies.

2.8 Microgeneration andAutoproduction

Production of renewable energy may be generallycategorized by the electrical energy output asfollows:

AUTO-GENERATIONAuto-generation is the production of electricity for

a consumer’s own use on the premises/sitewhere the energy is to be consumed. Thisarises where an electricity consumer has anon-site renewable energy generator to providea portion of their electricity needs. This onsitegenerator is not operated as a backup generatorat times of grid outage – rather it displacesimports from the grid on a day to day basis.There is no upper limit in energy output to thedefinition of an auto-producer.

MICRO-GENERATIONIn Ireland, micro-generation is classified by ESB

Networks as small scale, grid connectedelectricity generation where customersproduce their own electricity and export thesurplus onto the ESB Networks Low Voltage(LV) System. Such generators cannot be usedto sell electricity to the electricity grid and areturn is via a feed-in tariff only.

A range of small and micro-scale energygeneration technologies – including wind,solar thermal, solar photovoltaic (PV),geothermal, air-source heat pumps andhydroelectric generators that can contribute tothe sustainability and security of energysupply have emerged in recent years. Suchgenerators can be suitable for directly servingthe electricity and heat needs of consumers onscales ranging from individual residences tosmall business or industrial premises.

Electric Ireland, on a commercial basis, operatesa limited domestic feed-in-tariff formicrogeneration under specified conditions.No other electricity suppliers have opted to

For electricity generation, a number ofmicrogeneration technologies may be used;for example, a wind turbine, photovoltaicpanels, micro-hydro (scaled-down version ofhydro-electricity station), micro-CHP (fuelledby biofuels), or a combination of these.

In general, there are two key types of thesemicrogenerators that produce electricity:

1. Stand-alone systems – designed to operate inconjunction with a battery bank and/or otherback-up generation to supply on-site demandonly

2. Grid-connected systems – where excessgeneration can be sent to the grid and in timesof low generation electricity can be drawnfrom the grid

For heat generation, a range of technologies –including geothermal, solar thermal, small-scale biomass and air-source heat pumps – arein common use across the country. These aremost often implemented on a building-scalebasis, without reference to a larger heatdistribution grid, although in certain cases aheat distribution system may be connected torenewable heat generation.

The microgeneration of RE does not necessarilyfall under the same planning process as larger-scale projects, and the terms can vary betweendomestic, agricultural and industrialinstallations. Local authorities should beaware of the exemptions for microgenerationset out in S.I. 83 of 2007 and S.I. 235 of 2008,and the restrictions on these exemptions as perS.I. 600 of 2001. Projects that do not fall underthe exemptions must seek planningpermission.

A thorough description of micro and small-scalegeneration technologies is available, alongsidea detailed review of relevant planningexemptions, is on the SEAI website:www.seai.ie/ Renewables/Microgeneration

Local authorities with a greater proportion ofurban environment could facilitate the use ofRE through promoting microgeneration intheir area. Part L (Conservation of Fuel andEnergy) of the Second Schedule to theBuilding Regulations includes requirements


19

on sourcing a reasonable proportion of energyin new buildings from RE sources. There issome precedent in this regard where localauthorities have requested that developmentsincorporate a defined level of energy andcarbon intensity performance over and abovethe Building Regulations.

The triple E product register is a benchmarkregister of energy-efficient products. Theregister provides a greater resource foridentification of products that meet aminimum set of stringent efficiency criteriaand typically will be of a best-in-classefficiency standard.

S.I. 201 of 2012 provides, interalia, for the refundof VAT paid by farmers or qualifyingequipment, purchased from the 1st January2012, for the purposes of micro-generation ofelectricity for use in a farm business.

Generators with an installed capacity of 1MW orless are deemed to be automatically authorizedand licensed by the energy regulator (CER)under the terms of S.I. 383 and 384 of 2008and are subject to the conditions in theseorders.

GENERAL SUMMARY OF COMMONENERGY PRODUCTION SOURCES

In summary, wind (onshore and offshore),hydropower and solar photovoltaic are used togenerate electricity, and wave and tidal havepotential to do so in the future. Geothermaland biomass energy can be harnessed tocontribute to both heat and electricity. Solarthermal energy is generally used for water andspace-heating. Biomass is particularly usefulfor the heat sector (e.g. biomass-based districtheating, wood chip boilers, etc.), but can alsobe used to generate electricity. Liquid biofuelscurrently contribute to the transport sector,while gaseous biofuel (in the form ofbiomethane) may contribute to the transportsector in the future.

As described above there is a necessity for abaseload supply of energy backed up by avariable supply such as wind. Baseload supplymay be provided by Geothermal, Hydro,

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towards the introduction of Bye-Laws andincentives to increase the use of small scalerenewable energy projects at local level,planning guidelines to improve suitable andsustainable use of renewable technologies onnew builds and to pursue the Bill before theDáil on Deep Geothermal for Navan, CountyMeath.

On the issue of transport, County Meath is acommuter belt and as such much of the energyconsumed at a County level is on transport.However, although the energy cost associatedwith transportation in County Meath is likelyto be significant, transport policy is made at alocal and national level and by the transportmotor industry itself, the local Transport Planis provided by planning department of eachLocal Authority and as such we would expectit to be mentioned in the LARES and a policyon Biofuels use in locally subsidized transportbe included as well as the use of electricvehicles under the provision of the localauthority. It was noted at the time of the ThirdProgress Report on NREAP, that Dr. EimerCotter, Head of Low Carbon Technologieswith Sustainable Energy Association ofIreland (SEAI) was quoted in a press releaseApril 5th, 2016 as stating that “The use ofbiofuels added to traditional transport fuelsneeds to treble. And new electric vehicleregistrations needs to grow from less than 1%of new car sales to 20% within the next fiveyears.”

This needs to be reflected at local level in CountyMeath.

Dr. Cotter also said: "The report highlights thatwhile 40,000 homes and 550 businesses arealready using some form of renewable heattechnology, this level needs to increasesevenfold. We have made substantial progressto date but continued action across all ofsociety is required if we are to move Ireland'senergy system onto a low carbon pathway."

This document would like to see Meath CountyCouncil, take these requirements into accountwhen approving future planning applicationsand as stated, incorporated into futuretransport plans for the county.


Biomass co-firing, Biomass CHP and Landfillgas, with variable supply from Wind, Solarand Ocean Storage (Stored Wind Solar)

Some RE technologies are supported bygovernment schemes and initiatives such asthe Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (REFIT)administered by the Department ofCommunications, Energy and NaturalResources (DCENR) to support renewableelectricity, however these do not stimulatecommunity RE schemes to any great extentand require revision.

3.0 RENEWABLE ENERGYRESOURCES & THEIRPOTENTIAL FORCOUNTY MEATH

3.1 BackgroundThere are obvious long term benefits to achieving

the 2020 Climate Change targets for everyonedue to:-

Reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) production,by avoiding 15m ton of CO2 emissions and soimproving our environment

Avoiding costly compliance fines associatedwith energy and emissions reductions targets

Renewable electricity displacing €750mworth of imported energy per annum/annually

Macro-economic benefits, as well as thecreation of thousands of new jobs

Large and small energy generation andconservation projects are essential to meetthese targets. Generation could be undertakenby groups and individuals and funded by:� Real community ownership� Individuals� Nationally sponsored schemes run by

State bodies such the Sustainable EnergyAuthority Ireland

� Private developersMeath Environmental Network and their members


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containing energy sources such as oil, coal,peat etc and should not support high carbonenergy production in any way.

Local participation in local energy plans is alsofundamental to ensuring ‘energy citizens’ areengaged in local energy issues. A fullyparticipative consultation process shouldprecede the adoption of any energy plans toallow communities, individuals and interestgroups to engage with energy planning in theirlocal areas and to help shape the solutions toachieve a sustainable energy future. It shouldbe planned to develop the Meath LocalAuthority Renewable Energy Strategies(LARES) in consultation with the com-munities in the locality. A good example, is aplan which analyses the energy profile of thecounty and lists strategic aims for the countywithin each renewable energy technology.

What is Community Energy? Community energyis a broad term that describes activeengagement by communities and localownership and participation in energyefficiency procedures and any form of

3.2 How to achieve a stablerenewable energy supply inIreland and County Meath?

The challenge of an energy source plan is tobalance the ever expanding needs of thehuman population against the detrimentaleffect that sourcing the energy may have onthe natural environment and ultimately thequality of life experienced by many people.All sources of energy have cost - initial set-up,aesthetic impact on their location,transportation, emissions during utilisationand disposal of by-products after use e.g. ashfrom wood and coal. While Ireland’s objectiveas a country is to significantly reduce carbonemissions it should also aim to be energy self-sufficient.

Renewables have a key role to play at Nationaland Local level in attaining targets whilstproviding independence and self-sufficiencywith regard to energy requirements. Incentivesand policy should encourage the use of allrenewable alternatives to the carbon

The above Table provides a snapshot of where we are going with renewable energy nationally. It would be useful tohave the similar data for County Meath as a baseline to work upon.

Fundamentally the Meath Environmental Network would like to see the LARES contain a detailed recommendationfor the inclusion of Community Energy and facilitation in practice for its inclusion in the strategy.

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3.3 Renewable EnergySources, which couldcontribute locally

The advantages and disadvantages of localpotential sources of renewable energysupply are now considered.

Currently there is no single source of renewableenergy that has been proven to be capable ofproviding a consistent electricity supply to thenational grid. The experiences of poweroutages in New South Wales, Australia inFebruary 2017 associated with the suspicionof the overreliance on renewables (solar andwind) being associated with power outages(The Daily Telegraph, Sydney, February 9,2017) indicates that a broad combination ofrenewables is needed if the current “baseenergy” supplies from carbon sources are tobe replaced. Advances in energy andelectricity storage facilities will make erraticsources of power eg wind more practical in thefuture.

Developments in the technology ofpower/electricity production will makesystems available in the future that areconceptual at present. A LARES for Meathshould ensure that future useful developmentsare facilitated.

3.4 WIND ENERGYOnshore wind energy is currently a major source

of renewable energy production in the country. The disadvantages associated with the need for

consistent airflow to power onshore turbinesand the need for higher turbines to attempt toobtain such consistency, needs to beconsidered in relation to the environmental,heritage and social costs of such largestructures in County Meath. Predicted changesin windflow patterns associated with potentialglobal warming, more periods of calm andperiods of severe storms, will limit theconsistency of power from wind turbines evenfurther.

While wind energy is a part of the national overall


renewable energy generation and distribution.This is the most desirable form of productionand distribution of energy in the county.

There are a number of barriers to the developmentof Community Energy, however these couldbe removed by implementing the followingmeasures:

• Facilitating access to the National Grid forcommunities, micro-generators and auto-generators.

• Mandate electricity companies to enter intoPower Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) withsmall generators, with a low cost/admin modelso that small generators can receivedpayments for the electricity they export to thegrid.

• Fair and secure payments to supportcommunity energy and micro generation at aprice that balances the long termsocioeconomic costs of this generation withthe total net metering price and ensures thePublic Service Obligations levy is maintainedat close to current levels.

• There should be feed-in tariffs for allrenewably sourced electricity e.g. solar, deepgeothermal. (The current RE Feed in Tariff(REFIT 3) schemes expires after 2017. Thenew scheme should also incentivise renewableheat installations, providing grant aid tocitizens willing to invest in renewabletechnologies to upgrade businesses anddomestic sites.

• Funding and Financial support for communitygroups in the initial stages of development,feasibility study, planning and construction -in particular to bridge the gap betweenfeasibility and planning.

• Community Energy Co-ops should beencouraged – energy co-ops activelyencourage educational programmes and helpinform local people of the potential benefits ofrenewable energies and their importance incombatting climate change (Rundle-Thiele etal, Willis & Willis 2012). Facilitate thedevelopment of Community Micro gridsthrough the smart grid programme.


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renewable energy portfolio there has beenconsiderable opposition to some wind farmdevelopments in County Meath and how thiscapacity is achieved should be withcommunity involvement where communityenergy projects are encouraged and funded.

Offshore wind farms may have greater potentialfor consistency of supply however, theurbanisation and high environmentaldesignation of much of the Meath coastlinewill limit landfall opportunites from suchpower generation.

3.5 DEEP GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

The high temperatures at the earth’score drops nearer the surface tobetween 180 and 200°C such as inthe Kentstown rock at Tara Mines.Experiments within the mine haveindicated that temperatures of 86°Cand 160°C may be occur at depthsof 2.5 and 4 km. The Kentstowntype rock is closer to the surfacenear Navan than elsewhere.

Geothermal potential for Navan The reason that Tara mines area was used for

investigations was because of the data ontemperatures, rock formations collected fromthe mines. The general technique would bethat two pipes starting 7 meters apart would bedrilled down to 4 km deep where they wouldbe about 0.4 km apart at their greatest depth.Water would be pumped down one pipe,percolate through the Kentstown rock, beheated to 180 and 200 degrees centigrade andtravel as superheated steam up to the surfacethrough the other pipe. (The unit at the surface

Source: U.S. DOE Geothermal Technologies Programhttp://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/powerplants.html

Electricity generation from geothermal waters – power plants

Dry Steam Power PlantsSteam plants use hydrothermal fluids that are primarily steam. The steam goes directly to a turbine, which drives a generator that produces electricity

Binary-Cycle Power PlantsEnergy is extracted from moderate-temperature water fluids in binary-cycle power plants. Hot geothermal fluid anda secondary (hence, “binary”) fluid with a much lower boiling point than water pass through a heat exchanger.Heat from the geothermal fluid causes the secondary fluidto flash to vapour, which then drives the turbines. Secondary fluids: e.g., pentane, butane, propane.

Dry Steam Power Plant

Binary Cycle Power Plant

Heat Exchanger with working fluid

Turbine Generator

Turbine Generator

Load

Rock Layers

Rock Layers

Production Well

Production Well

Load

Injection Well

Injection Well

What is Geothermal Energy? Ground Source Heat Pump TechnologyShallow extraction of heat using Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) technology perhaps the form of geothermal energy utilisation that people inIreland are most familiar with.All current utilisation of geothermal energy in the Irish Republic employsshallow low enthalpy GSHP technology that exploits ground or water temperatures in the range 8 – 15°C for the provision of space heating

Heat Pump characterisation and research facility centre for the Integration of Sustainable Energy Technologies(CISET), Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.

From: N. Burke, 2011. Proceedings GAI GeothermalEnergy Conference, Kilkenny, 10th May, 2011

From: A. Hall, 2011. Proceedings GAI Geothermal Energy Conference, Kilkenny, 10th May, 2011

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3.6 Shallow GeothermalEnergy

Ireland possesses 42 known warm-springs (watertemperatures 13-24.7°C), mainly located inDinantian limestones [e.g., 1, 12, 22] andconcentrated in two groups: North Leinster(west Dublin/south County) (Area 6) andNorth Munster (north Cork/Mallow) (Area10).

Possible deeper, hotter circulation patternoccurrences are located at Enfield Co Meath(Hotwell House) (22.5°C waters) andGlanworth South (Johnstown), Cork (24.7°C).(Jones et al 2011).

There is potential for local exploitation ofgeothermal upwelling along the fault linethrough County Meath and enhancedgeothermal as described should be consideredin the LARES.

3.7 Land based GeothermalEnergy

The encouragement of the installation ofgeothermal pumps in private housing andwhere appropriate in public utilities andhousing in County Meath should be includedin the LARES.


would collect any extraneous materialbrought up through the second pipe i.e. asemi-enclosed system. A fully enclosedsystem may not be feasible due to theconsistently high temperatures at lowerdepths). A heat exchanger would then run aturbine.

Navan would require a 5Mkw plant, whichwould potentially require an area of 0.75acres with a water cooling system providingpotential heat greenhouses for horticulture.Deep Geothermal energy is harnessed viaheat exchange techniques. See abovediagram for illustration. Water would bepumped down one pipe through theKentstown rock, be heated to 180-200°Cand travel as superheated steam up to thesurface through the other pipe. A heatexchanger would then run a turbine.

Heat from the collected hot water is transferredfrom the heat exchanger to a district heatingnetwork and fresh water is used to deliver thisheat to the customers connected to thenetwork. The heat produced could be used fordistricted heating (pipe insulation technologyhas improved by reducing heat loss to 0.1°Cper kilometer. The heat produced would costless than half the cost of heat from natural gas.

IRETHERM and the Geological Survey of IrelandShallow Geothermal Energy Project are othersources of information on geothermal energythat may be of use to Meath County Council.The programme generated new data onIreland’s deep geology and geothermalpotential and made recommendations for areaswhere further work could prove useful,notably Hotwell House, Enfield, South Meath.

Another report conducted in 2004 by CSA Groupfor SEAI specifically refers to the potential ofdeep geothermal renewable heat for the Navanarea and North Leinster.

Meath County Council should consider thepotential for district heating systems fromrenewable sources (including biomass andgeothermal) when considering newdevelopments or retrofitting existingdevelopments.


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policy in the future. All Biomass co-firingplants should be encouraged to use the excessheat/energy generated to maximize the use ofthis energy source rather than losing it.

3.10 BiogasAll compostable material in County should be

collected separately at source. The gasreleased during composting should becollected and the solid material used asfertiliser.

There are possibilities for County Meath forexample, Germany is the largest biogasproducer in Europe with over forty companiessupporting its production. In 2014, the 7,944biogas plants in Germany generated about27.6 billion kWh of electricity, therebyproviding about 7.9 million households withenvironmentally-friendly energy. The biogasplants provide for more than four per cent ofGermany’s electricity consumption. Othercountries are also extremely active. Thesecond largest market for biogas plants isGreat Britain, which generates electricitypredominantly from landfill gas. Italy is inthird place. Compensation for electricity fedinto the grid at a rate of 28 cents per kWh forelectricity generated using agricultural rawmaterials created a real boom in Germany upuntil 2012 – we require incentives in this area.

Technologies are available for continuousprocesses to convert mixed organic wastematerial, ranging from food waste to animalslurry into Biogas, generate electricity, heatand fertiliser.

As a significant farming county, large amounts ofwaste from animals could be diverted toBiogas plants. Meath Environmental Networkwould like County Meath Council to promotethe inclusion in the LARES of Biogas usefrom anaerobic digestion plants on farm,industrial Biogas production and the use oflandfill gas to feed into the energy requirementat local level where possible. Potentially thereare approximately 1,232,000 tonnes ofslurry/animal waste available for biogasproduction in Meath per annum. The potential

3.8 SOLAR POWERPOTENTIAL FORCOUNTY MEATH

Solar technology is one of the technologies beingconsidered in the context of the new supportscheme for renewable electricity generation,we would like to encourage County MeathCouncil to bring this support scheme in asexpeditiously as possible to enablecommunities and individuals to take activecontrol of their own energy production. Solaralso brings a number of benefits like relativelyquick construction and a range of deploymentoptions, Solar panels can be deployed in roof-mounted or ground-mounted installations. Inthis way, it can empower Irish citizens andcommunities to take control of the productionand consumption of energy.

3.9 BiomassDespite release of carbon being a short-term

feature of energy production from biomass theMeath Environmental Network would like tohave, included in the LARES for CountyMeath, a policy for the responsible use ofbiomass in co-firing stations. There is aperceived difficulty with the introduction oflarge scale biomass farms to fuel feedstock forburning stations – for Waste to Energy (WtE)or direct feedstock for cement production, asthe use of agricultural land for biomass cropsmay best be managed to maximize agriculturalfood production potential.

The REFIT schemes, which support thegeneration of electricity and CHP technologiesincluding waste-to-energy, anaerobic digestionand landfill gas, supports the use of waste as arenewable energy feed-stock (Biomass) – wewould request that enforcement of the types ofwaste used in such areas is strictly monitoredto prevent recyclable materials from enteringthis stream. We would request that the CountyMeath Council LARES consider maximizingthe CHP potential from Indaver WtE plant andLagan Cement works for the Duleek area andrelevant planning applications as a matter of

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for this type of energy production will improvein the future.

Passive release of Biogas to the atmosphereshould be actively prohibited as it is both anenvironmental contributor to GHG productionand a lost source of renewable energy. REFITtariffs should promote the local use of bio-waste to encourage farmers to invest in ADand the production of Biogas locally, whichwill feed into the grid providing renewableenergy produced locally, rather than allowingbio-waste to be exported with increased CO2

emissions related to transport.

3.11 HydroelectricPower

County Meath with its many rivers and thepossible refurbishment of old watermills is ina position to develop small scale hydroelectricpower supplies that do not interfere withwildlife and this should be encouragedthrough the LEADER funding programme andsupported through the provision of small scalesuppliers accessing the Grid in the LARES.

However pumped hydroelectric stations are notconsidered as Renewable Energy under theDirective.

3.12 Other PotentialRenewable Energy SourcesFor Co. MeathHeat from Waste Water

Using waste heat from sewers to heat homes is apractical system that could be used in townsin County Meath.

An example is the Southeast False CreekNeighborhood Energy Utility of the City ofVancouver, British Columbia. When onewashes dishes or takes a shower, the energythat goes into heating water is typicallywashed down the drain. The Southeast FalseCreek Neighborhood Energy Utility recyclesthis waste heat back into the community,which uses waste thermal energy capturedfrom sewage to provide space heating and hotwater to buildings in Southeast False Creek.

This recycled energy eliminates more than 60%of the greenhouse gas pollution associatedwith heating buildings. The utility is self-funded: it provides a return on investment toCity taxpayers, while at the same time,provides affordable rates to customers.

Map of Biomass and Biogas Sites in Co. Meath


The utility began operations in 2010 and sincethen has rapidly expanded to serve 395,000 m2

(4,300,000 ft2) of residential, commercial, andinstitutional space. Over time, the utility willbe expanded to serve new developments in theneighborhood and Great Northern Waycampus lands. This may be an example forconsideration.

Biofuels Bioethanol production relies on the cultivation of

large amounts of plant material and may notbe suitable in large amounts for County Meathas it would usurp land fit for agriculturalpurpose.

Wave and Tidal PowerAs the coastline of County Meath has not been

identified as a location in the eleven identifiedpractical tidal current energy sites on the Irishcoast, there is probably no need for inclusionof marine energy sources in the LARES atpresent although this may change iftechnological developments make suchsources practical in the future.

4.0 CONCLUSIONTo significantly reduce CO2 emissions and meet

Ireland’s targets within the EU and the Paris2016 agreement we need to reduce energywaste from insufficiently insulated buildingsand inefficient heating systems, while alsoswitching from fossil fuels to renewables.

With a temperate climate for solar & biomassoptions, waterways of sufficient capacity forhydro-electricity generation and its location onthe natural occurrence of Kentstown granitesubstrata (geothermal) combined withnaturally occurring warm springs, CountyMeath is in an ideal position to have abalanced portfolio of sustainable energysources with a low to zero environmentalimpact.

We would recommend that Meath County Counciltake a strategic view in providing a LARES(Local Authority Renewable Energy Strategy)for County Meath working, not just towardsenergy conservation with the Energy Team,


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but also renewable energy generation atCounty level including the following:

Recommendations at a county level: Encourage energy and heat conservation for

businesses and homes. To require all planning applications for new

buildings to demonstrate how their designshave incorporated energy efficiency or passivemeasures, as a means of reducing futurereliance on traditional fuel sources and toidentify how the energy needs of the proposeddevelopment can be addressed withindigenous renewable energy resources andtechnologies, as an important element inestablishing a low carbon County and assistingin meeting committed county, regional andnational renewable energy targets.

Planning applications should be assessed toensure that commercial renewable energyproposals are not masquerading as communityenergy projects.

To review the Deep Geothermal Project inNavan, Tara Mines, as a pilot project to seepotential as a renewable energy source forNavan town (in 2011 it was estimated by GTEnergy that it would only cost eight millioneuro for Navan town to become self-sufficientin space and water heating and electricity).

Local geothermal and solar panel energypotential should be actively encouraged, giventhe potential for shallow geothermal along thefault Drogheda – Mallow, the Boyne andBlackwater rivers and tributaries and thecurrent deficit of solar panel energy homes inMeath.

To collaborate with EirGrid over the lifetimeof the Strategy to ensure that County Meathhas the grid infrastructure in place and wherepossible to have underground transmissionssystems, to maximize its potential forrenewable energy generation to meet its ownenergy needs and to enable export to thedemand market.

The grid system used to transmit energyproduced by renewable/sustainable sourcesshould promote local community input ontothe grid.

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To maximize use in the County, of theavailable bioenergy resource to exceednational targets for renewable heat of 12% and10% by 2020.

RECOMMENDATIONS Expressions of interest should be invited to

develop biogas systems especially forhousehold waste. Waste collection servicesshould be obliged to inform householders thata compost bin will be provided upon requestto provide the material necessary.

To favourably consider the redevelopment ofbrown field sites in predominantly industrial /commercial areas for large solar PV projectssubject to normal planning considerationssuch as impact on landscape, urban design,biodiversity, ecological impact, aviation,access to grid, security fencing,decommissioning issues and impact onresidential amenity.

The use of wind turbines for energyproduction, should be encouraged with amaximum height limit of 13 metres forDomestic use as per SI83 of 2007 and 20metres for Agriculture/Commercial use as perSI235 of 2008 (please see Appendix 4).

To review the maximization of the CombinedHeat & Power (CHP) potential from theIndaver Waste to Energy plant and LaganCement and Biogas plant at Beauparc andother smaller heat producing businessparticularly public buildings such as NavanHospital should be reviewed with a view tomaximization of energy efficiency.

Biomass burning use should be criticallyassessed – it is less environmentallypreferential than other forms of heatgeneration. MSW (Municipal Solid Waste)biomass burning at co-fired/incinerator plantsshould be strictly screened to preventrecyclables or wet-waste being burned.

To facilitate the development of small scalehydro power developments at suitablelocations that do not interfere with wildlife tobe identified on a case by case basis.

To support and facilitate the emergence of acompetitive supply chain economy that willsustain and assist in further developing arobust renewable energy sector in County.This would enable local communities toprovide economically viable renewable energysolutions with long term sustainability.



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Recommendations at nationallevel to achieve local strategy:

Legislation change is required to enabledrilling below 300m to avail of deepgeothermal sources of energy.

Subsidies should be made available for localcommunity geothermal, solar, biomass/gas,hydro and wind based energy sources. Thesesubsidies should not favour one energy sourceover another.

It should be mandatory that all electricityproviders (including Bord Gáis Energy,Electric Ireland, Energia, Flogas Natural Gas,Panda Power, SSE Eirtricity) have a “Feed-in” tariff that encourage companies andindividuals to export surplus energy to thenational grid.

The SEAI is the agency tasked withempowering communities with the aims ofthe White Paper 2015, whilst encouragingcommunity inclusion, currently other than theBetter Energy Communities Scheme,

providing grants for energy efficiencypredominantly, there are no definitivestructures in place to provide communitieswith the autonomy required to take their owninitiative in energy generation at local level,to provide autonomy comprising of micro-grid and a possible future independence fromnational grid, this requires urgent attention.

Passive housing should be activelyencouraged. Buildings should have insulationto a level which minimizes heat loss, spaceand water heating by solar panels and orair/water geothermal heat pumps, heatrecovery ventilations systems etc.

Undergrounding of power cables to makelines less susceptible to outages during thehigh winds, thunderstorms and heavy snow orice storms we are likely to experience withclimate change and to make power lines lessvisually intrusive.

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• Article in independent.ie by Charlie Weston10/06/2014

• www.bordnamona.ie “Bord na Móna announces biggest change of land use in modern Irish history” 05/10/2015

• www.bordnamona.ie “Bord na Móna securesagreement on Sliabh Bawn wind farm”02/01/2016

• The Smart Grid Road Map 2011-2050, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

• https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-review-of-the-feed-in-tariff-scheme

• Roberts, J; Bodman, F; Rybski, R (2014)Community Power: Model Legal Frameworksfor Citizen owned Renewable Energy, ClientEarth

• Renewable Heat Incentives - Irish Academyof Engineering Analysis October 16, 2015

• Connection of micro-generation to the electricity distribution network, network recommendation YA9:09 www.energia.fi

• Korchinsk, William. (2013) in The Limits ofWind Power; Adam Smith Institute, PolicyStudy 403;

• Environmental Protection Agency. Ireland’sSustainable Energy. Available at: https://www.epa.ie/media/epa_factsheet_energy_v2.pdf

• Rundle-Thiele et al, Willis & Willis 2012


Appendix 1References:

• Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland(2016) Energy in Ireland 1990-2015. Avail-able at: http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/Energy_in_Ireland/Energy-in-Ireland-1990-2015.pdf

• White Paper, Dec 2015• SEAI, “Energy in Ireland - Key Statistics

2015” • Meath County Council Renewable Energy

Strategy 2014-2020• Environmental Pillar Community Energy

Policy March 2015. Michael Ewing• www.german-biogas-industry.com• Irish Academy of Engineering’s Response to

DCENR’s Consultation Document on Ireland’s Renewable Electricity SupportScheme 2015

• “A Guide to UK Mini Hydro Developments”by the British Hydropower Association

• A Guide to UK Mini Hydro Developments bythe British Hydropower Association

• “Harnessing Earth’s heat for energy in Ireland: the IRETHERM project” publishedby Irish Geological Association, 19th and 20thOctober, 2011, TCD and UCC

• Harvesting the Wind: The Physics of WindTurbines Kira Grogg – 2005

• The Anatomy of a Wind Farm parts 1, 2 & 3on www.the-law-is-my-oyster.com publishedFebruary 2016 by Neil van Dokkum (B.SocSc; LLB; LLM; PGC Con.Lit)

• “A review of the impacts of onshore wind energy development on biodiversity”, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Research and Development Series 14/02 2014

• SPECIAL REPORT: A look at the wind energy debate Monday, April 07, 2014, ByClaire O'Sullivan Irish Examiner

• Union of Concerned Scientists ucsusa.org• ”The Future Role of Wind in Ireland’s Energy

Mix - Irish On-shore Wind In Numbers" Engineers Ireland Conference, 15th May2015.

Generator

Production Well Injection Well

Condenser

Cooling Water

Geothermal Fluid

HeatExchanger

Binary Cycle Power Plant


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Appendix 2 Glossary of TermsAnaerobic Digestion: The process whereby

bacteria break down organic material in theabsence of oxygen yielding a biogascontaining methane.

AA:Appropriate AssessmentBio-fuels: Fuels derived from biomassBiomass: Biological material derived from living

or recently living organisms which can beconverted into fuel for electricity, heating ortransport.

CFRAMS: Catchment Flood Risk Assessmentand Management Studies

Combined Heat and Power (CHP): Combinedheat and power is the simultaneous productionof heat and electricity

District Heating (DH): District heating is a localheating network facilitated throughunderground pipes and a centralised heatsource.

Electric Vehicle (EV): Battery operated electricvehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Fossil Fuels: Fuels that arise from organic matterover geological timescales.

Greenhouse Gases (GHG): The gases that areresponsible for trapping the solar radiation inthe Earth’s atmosphere. The most significantimpact comes from carbon dioxide andmethane.

Grid Capacity: The technical/physical ability ofthe electricity transmission or distributionnetwork to accommodate new electricitygeneration or usage.

Installed Capacity: The theoretical instantaneousoutput of electrical power if all generators areworking at full capacity.

LARES: Local Area Renewable Energy Strategy Large scale wind generation: Electricity

generation installations with an installednameplate rating in excess of 5Mw (source:

S.I. No. 284/2008 - Electricity Regulation Act1999 (Public Service Obligations) (Amend-ment) Order 2008)

Micro-generator: An installation which isprimarily meant to generate electricity for theinstallation’s own use and for which feedingto the national network is only a secondarymotive. The maximum output of a micro-generation installation can be defined atapproximately 11KW. (This is based on theFinnish standard EN50438).

NREAP: National Renewable Energy ActionPlan

Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage(PHES): A facility designed to generateelectricity during peak periods with ahydroelectric plant utilising water pumped intoa storage reservoir during off-peak periods.

Public Service Obligations (PSO) levy: In thecontext of EU law, a PSO is an arrangementin which a governing body or other authorityoffers subsidies, thereby permitting thecompany to operate a specified service for aspecified period of time for the given subsidy.The current legislation for the PSO forelectricity generation is valid until 2027.

REFIT: Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff, currentscheme expires after 2017.

Renewable Energy: Energy from renewable non-fossil sources.

Smart Grid: An evolution of the existingelectricity grid with added monitoring,analysis, control and communicationcapability that maximizes the efficiency of theelectricity system.

Total Final Consumption (TFC): The totalenergy used by the final end user. It excludesenergy used in the energy sector such aselectricity generation or heat production.

WtE:Waste to Energy

Appendix 3Consultation Bodies for MeathLARES (Local AuthorityRenewable Energy Strategy)

The Meath Environmental NetworkMember Groups of the Meath PPNMeath IFAAngling Groups In Meath

National Bodies: Irish Environmental Network _____________________

Appendix 4Turbines as Planning ExemptedDevelopments

Domestic Exemption under SI 83 of 2007The construction, erection or placing within thecurtilage of a house of a wind turbine.

1. The turbine shall not be erected on or attachedto the house or any building or other structurewithin its curtilage.

2. The total height of the turbine shall not exceed13 metres.

3. The rotor diameter shall not exceed 6 metres.

4. The minimum clearance between the lower tipof the rotor and ground level shall not be lessthan 3 metres.

5. The supporting tower shall be a distance of notless than the total structure height (includingthe blade of the turbine at the highest point ofits arc) plus one metre from any party boundary.

6. Noise levels must not exceed 43db(A) duringnormal operation, or in excess of 5db(A) abovethe background noise, whichever is greater, asmeasured from the nearest neighbouring inhabited dwelling.

7. No more than one turbine shall be erectedwithin the curtilage of a house.

8. No such structure shall be constructed, erectedor placed forward of the front wall of a house.

9. All turbine components shall have a matt, non-reflective finish and the blade shall be made ofmaterial that does not deflecttelecommunication signals.

10. No sign, advertisement or object, not requiredfor the functioning or safety of the turbine shallbe attached to or exhibited on the wind turbine.

Agricultural/Commercialexemption under SI 235 of2008

The construction, erection or placing within thecurtilage of an industrial building or lightindutrial building, or business premises of awind turbine.

1. The turbine shall not be erected on or attachedto the premises or building or any otherstructure within the curtilage of the buildingor premises.

2. The total height of the turbine shall not exceed20 metres.

3. The rotor diameter shall not exceed 8 metres.4. The minimum clearance between the lower tip

of the rotor and ground level shall not be lessthan 3 metres.

5. The supporting tower shall be a distance of notless than the total structure height (includingthe blade of the turbine at the highest point ofits arc) plus:

(a) 5 metres from any party boundary, (b) 5 metresfrom any non-electrical overhead cables,

(c) 20 metres from any 38kV electricitydistribution line,

(d) 30 metres from the centreline of any electricitytransmission line of 110kV or more.


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6. The turbine shall not be located within 5kilometres of the nearest airport or aerodrome,or any communication, navigation andsurveillance facilities designated by the IrishAviation Authority, save with the consent inwriting of the Authority and compliance withany condition relating to the provision ofaviation obstacle warning lighting.

7. Noise levels must not exceed 43db(A) duringnormal operation, as measured from thenearest party boundary.

8. Not more than one turbine shall be erectedwithin the curtilage of the premises orbuilding.

9. All turbine components shall have a matt, non-reflective finish and the blade shall be madeof material that does not deflecttelecommunication signals.

No sign, advertisement or object, not required forthe functioning or safety of the turbine shall beattached to or exhibited on the wind turbine.The turbine shall not be located within anArchitectural Conservation Area.

Summary of all exemptions forsmall scale renewables:http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Microgenera-tion/Conditional_Planning_Exemptions/<http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/Microgenera-tion/Conditional_Planning_Exemptions/>_____________________

AUTHORS Meath Environmental Network: -Suzanne Brady, Ger Clarke, Seamus Costello,Kieran Cummins, Michael Gunn, Emma Higgsand Karen Mahon.


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Heat ExchangerPower Plant

PumpCompressor

June 2017

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RENEWABLE ENERGY STRATEGY FOR COUNTY MEATH 2017 · 2017-09-29 · Newgrange and Dowth visable above the River Boyne Cairn T, Sliabh Na Caillighe, Loughcrew, Oldcastle Spire of Loyd