Carlow County Development Partnership CLG (CCDP) enables several community projects to empower, inform, and educate communities across County Carlow.

The Sustainable Energies Community Network (SECN)forms one of our most integral components of our diverse Environmental programmes.  CCDP is the Appointed mentor by SEAI to engage, support, and facilitate the promotion and creation of sustainable communities.

What is Sustainable Energies Communities (SECN) how do communities get involved?

In our everyday lives working or personal we constantly use the word sustainable energy it is a very modern happening concept that is now gaining tremendous traction with the populace. But what does it actually mean?

Sustainable Energy enables us to meet our energy needs today. Heating buildings, houses, fuelling transport, using electricity – without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their  energy needs. So simply speaking, we must become more efficient in how we use energy and secondly, we must increase the amount of energy supplied from renewable resources. Most importantly, it is essential to use sustainable energy to help reduce global warming and climate change.

So how do we achieve this milestone within our communities? This happens by developing a Sustainable Energy community. The SECN is a community in which everyone works together to develop a sustainable energy system. To do so, they aim as far as possible to be energy efficient, to use renewable energy where feasible and to develop regionalised energy supplies. An SEC can provide linkage between sustainable energy, economic development, and social cohesion.

How do communities form a SECN?

Strong organisation and collaboration are essential for an SEC to ensure that common objectives are established in a balanced and integrated way. In this collaboration the whole community has a role to play – local authority, politicians, planners, public and private bodies, developers, businesses, energy suppliers, service providers, technical experts, educational institutions, residents associations and householders.

Do we have any SECs in the County at present?

CCDP are very proud and pleased to announce since our launch of the programme which began in 2017, we have supported and facilitated the setting up of 9 registered SECNs, in County Carlow and even more significant is that we have made possible the development of the Energy Masterplan for the villages of Oldleighlin, Myshall, and Tullow.  The perseverance and determination of our communities along with CCDP, 3Cea and other stakeholders, who have been so helpful and involved to allow CCDP and our communities to achieve this pioneering level is a huge achievement. It is all possible we just need to come together and work together as communities.

Do you have any more consultations or information days planned and how do communities get further information?

CCDP have  a webinar arranged for the 24th of March at 7pm on zoom wherein we have our Regional Coordinator from 3Cea who will make a presentation on What is a Sustainable Energy Community – its importance within the Irish and EU policy. CCDP will also have a speaker to give us an insight into the development of an Energy Masterplan, the important information that this document reveals i.e Energy usage, energy costs, fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and a Register of Opportunities- what steps can the community do to enhance sustainable living and much more – this document in simple terms is an Energy audit of the entire community. A very important and valuable piece of research to enable communities to adopt, change, reorganise, to help build sustainable communities.

CCDP would encourage everyone to participate in our webinar to be better informed and educated.

For all questions and further information

Contact details: Marina DeCosta CCDP:  0599720733: Mobile 0860223211

Email: mdecosta@carlowdevelopment.ie or reception@carlowdevelopment.ie

You can also visit our facebook page and website www.carlowdevelopment.ie