2003 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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Tipperary Institute
Clifford Guest
Tipperary Institute establishes a Centre for Sustainable Energy Development

Children from Littleton National School in the TI Willow Plantation

The Tipperary Institute has recently consolidated and expanded its expertise in sustainable energy through the establishment of a Centre for Sustainable Energy Development. The term sustainable energy is used to cover both Renewable Energy (RE) and the Rational Use of Energy (RUE). RE is energy derived from renewable resources, RUE is the efficient and effective use of energy (independent of where energy comes from).


Renewable Energy Certificate Class of 2002 @ TI

The Centre is staffed by five of the Institute's Programmes Specialists, who come from the Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) Department and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department. The objective of the Centre is to participate in the development and implementation of sustainable energy policy and practice in order to achieve environmental, economic and social benefits and to contribute to the overall mission of the Institute. The purpose of the Centre is to promote the development of sustainable energy through awareness creation, market development, education, training, inputting to policy, research, development, demonstration, and consultancy. It will have a particular focus on bioenergy and rural community-led sustainable energy initiatives.

Tipperary Institute identified sustainable energy, with its environmental, agricultural, socio-economic and commercial benefits, as an area in which it should be active. The Institute has been involved in this sector since November 1996, when an EU funded project set out to establish a community-based Biomass Education, Training and Support Unit. This initial project was followed up with many other projects and initiatives including:

� National Co-ordinators of the Agriculture and Forestry Biomass Network and Waste For Energy Network, two EU-wide networks for the promotion of biomass and biogas.

� Partners in the establishment of the Tipperary Energy Agency, part-funded by the EU SAVE II programme - a partnership between Tipperary Institute, Tipperary North County Council and Tipperary South County Council.

� Providing assistance to communities in a number of locations to progress potential bioenergy projects in anaerobic digestion and wood fuel.

� Involvement in the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA): the association promotes the development of biomass in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

� Inputting to the formulation of national and local policy and promoting public awareness.

� Receiving planning permission for the construction of a 300 kiloWatt (electrical) wood fuelled combined heat and power plant for the Thurles campus.

� Establishment of a Certificate in Renewable Energy: the course is aimed at those interested in developing a renewable energy project, and those working at a strategic level in local authorities and other state organisations. Now in its second cycle, the course is the first of its kind in Ireland: it is held one night a week for one academic year.

The vision for the Centre is that it will be multidisciplinary and cross-departmental. At present, the Tipperary Institute staff contributing to the work of the Centre include Clifford Guest, Kevin Healion and Seamus Hoyne from the SRD Department, and Eugene Kelly and Mathew Mather from the ICT Department. It is hoped that the Centre will also be able to draw on the expertise of other staff within the Institute.

Contact: Kevin Healion, Tipperary Institute, Nenagh Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary;
Tel: 0504 28105; Fax 0504 28111; E-mail: [email protected] ; Web: www.tippinst.ie