Getting involved in community power!

With the COP 21 talks still fresh from Paris and future policy on climate control front and centre of world-wide political debate, a Community Energy Proclamation was launched recently in Ireland.

The vision of the proclamation is for a transition to a clean, secure energy system for the citizens of Ireland, where communities – whether organised as co-operatives, voluntary associations or individual citizens – can get involved in energy planning, conservation, energy generation and energy distribution.

The idea for the proclamation came out of a conference on energy co-ops organised by Cloughjordan based NGO, Cultivate.

Signed by over 100 community groups, co-operatives, energy agencies and NGO’s the proclamation calls for a number of policy changes to allow communities to participate in Ireland’s energy generation and to allow the community energy industry to develop.

These include setting a target for community energy in Ireland and removing a number of technical and financial barriers such as access to the grid, payments for solar energy for micro-generation and for renewable heat, and support and advice structures to enable community groups to develop renewable energy projects.

This initiative is supported by Duncan Stewart, Environmentalist, Broadcaster and chairman of the judging panel of the local newspapers’ Get Involved initiative.

“One of the areas that Get Involved focuses on is local energy. There is massive potential for communities across Ireland to produce a portion of their own energy needs and reduce their carbon footprint,” he said.

“To reach our national climate and renewable energy targets communities need to be empowered to install energy efficiency measures and insulation retrofits to buildings, and harness local renewable sources. The transition to a clean energy future will not happen without the power of the people.”

In contrast to many of our European neighbours, community owned renewable energy in Ireland is practically non-existent.  A fundamental shift in policy is required that views citizens and communities as indispensable agents in securing our energy future, not obstacles to be negotiated.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.