Energy leaders from EirGrid and ESB joined Martin McVicar, founder of Combilift and Eamon Ryan TD, leader of the Green party, to discuss the future direction of energy supply and demand at a Future Energy Forum at Dundalk Institute of Technology on Thursday, May 16.
Held in association with Engineers Ireland's North East region and attended by more than 100 engineering professionals and business leaders from the northeast, the forum provided delegates with the opportunity to hear from Mark Foley, CEO of EirGrid and Marguerite Sayers, executive director, customer solutions, at ESB, Eamon Ryan TD, leader of the Green party and Denis Duff, co-founder of Better Environment with Nuclear Energy (BENE).
Future energy needs and innovations
Each speaker presented their views on Ireland’s future energy needs and innovations during presentations and an engaging panel discussion, where Ireland’s 2020 EU renewable energy targets and deadlines formed a key part of discussion.
Energy innovation in the northeast was a core focus at the event as Martin McVicar, founder of Combilift and Jonathan Jennings of Glen Dimplex showcased the technologies and solutions being developed and delivered locally to support Ireland’s continued transition to a low carbon energy future.
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L-R: Eamon Ryan, leader of the Green party; Denis Duff, co-founder, Better Environment with Nuclear Energy (BENE); Marguerite Sayers, executive director, customer solutions, ESB; and Mark Foley, CEO, EirGrid.[/caption]
Carrickmacross native Eamon Dillane also presented a case study on energy innovation in the home and showcased how solar energy and electric vehicles has transformed his energy consumption behaviours and way of life.
Barry Hyland, engineer and chair of Engineers Ireland’s North East regional branch, said: “Engineers have a key role to play in Ireland’s transition to a sustainable, carbon-free society through the development of renewable energy technology and innovations.
"Our forum event provided attendees from the northeast the opportunity to learn from and engage with energy experts, a number of them engineers, working both nationally and locally - and I have no doubt that these speakers transformed our attendees’ thoughts on how we think about, generate and consume energy.”
'Set to miss 2020 emissions'
Peter Quinn, president of Engineers Ireland, said: “As a country, which is currently set to miss its 2020 emissions reduction targets as agreed with the EU, it is critical the State now makes every effort to meet our EU 2030 emissions reduction targets.
“Engineers have a key role to play in achieving these targets and we in Engineers Ireland were delighted to see so many of our member engineers and business professionals from the North East attend the Future Energy Forum to examine the issue of energy supply and demand and the innovation that is happening right now, particularly in Louth and Monaghan, to support Ireland’s continued transition to a low carbon energy future.”
For more information, visit:
www.engineersireland.ie