Posts in the "Community%20Power" category
Our schools are finally going solar!
Posted on November 12, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
Upperchurch National School in Tipperary is the first Friends of the Earth Solar School. Panels were installed over the Halloween mid term break, and the school is now generating its own electricity right from its roof!!
We have four more to go in Dublin, Limerick, Mayo and the Aran Islands. We think every school should be a solar school by 2025, and we are lobbying hard at Government to support this.
And they are listening! Minister Murphy has committed to changing the planning regulations, so schools dont have to apply for planning permission which they do at the moment for even one solar panel AND the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland have disclosed they will be offering grants for solar panels for schools from next year.
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy • solarschools • solar schools • community power •
Solar Schools are Championing Community Power
Posted on July 26, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
In 2018 we launched our Solar Schools competition, where five schools won solar panels so that they can power themselves with renewable energy straight from their rooftops.
Schools will be excited to know we will be launching a second competition in September, so even more schools can generate their own energy! Every winning school receives a 90% grant for their solar panels and all of the technical and bureaucratic support needed for the installation of the solar panels.
This competition is an excellent opportunity for communities to participate in renewable energy generation, and schools are the ideal place for valuable community-based education to occur. The competition will play an important role in encouraging communities to take the first step on their sustainable energy journey.
Permanent link | Categories: energy • solarschools • solar schools • community power •
Another Win for Community Power!
Posted on July 23, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
Thanks to the generosity and action of our supporters, real change is now on the horizon.
Six weeks ago we emailed our supporters to tell them about a family home in Limerick that was forced to take down their solar panels becuase of a breach in planning permission rules. We asked you to chip in to help fund an appeal to change the rules. In order to unlock the potential for solar we need to break down lots of barriers like this.
Permanent link | Categories: energy • solarschools • community power
Catching up on Community Energy
Posted on June 17, 2020 by Kate Ruddock
Covid-19 created some delays for our Solar Schools 2020 winners but we will soon be back on track getting solar panels on their roofs. This year we had 8 winners and 8 runners up. Our winning schools will be generating their own clean energy and championing the solar revolution in Ireland.
Congratulations to all our winners!
We can’t wait to work with these primary and secondary schools and get going with their local climate action projects.
Special congratulations to St Munchins in Limerick who became the newest Solar School this month! Their newly installed6 kw array of solar PV panels will generate about 5,070 kWh per year for the school, to power lights, computers, photocopiers etc., saving about €800 while avoiding 3,000kg of CO2 a year.
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy
Energy Democracy & Community Power Webinar
Posted on March 25, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
Thank you to our panelists and participants for tuning into our webinar 'Energy Democracy & Community Power' yesterday evening.
Cliona Sharkey, Policy Advisor with Trócaire, Paul Kenny, CEO of Tipperary Energy Agency and John Fogarty of Community Power, Ireland’s first community owned electricity supplier joined us for a lively discussion on the question;
How can we build energy democracy in our communities so that everyone has access to community power?
If you missed it, you can watch it back here in the video below.
Join the energy revolution, switch your electricity supplier to Community Power today - click here to make the switch!
For more on Trócaire - click here, and for more on Tipperary Energy Agency - click here.
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy • webinars
Solar Schools 2020 and the winners are
Posted on March 13, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
Voting and judging for Solar Schools 2020 is now complete. The winners were judged by an independent judging panel following the results of an online public vote.
Schools were tasked with coming up with an idea for a local climate action project. And as expected, students in Ireland have fantastic ideas. The winners will now complete their climate action project, and will get solar pv panels designed and installed at their school.
We are very grateful for financial support for this project from the following organisations. It would not be possible without them.
The winners for Solar Schools 2020 are:
Primary Schools
Winners
Guardian Angels, Blackrock, Co Dublin
St Brigids National School Grange, Co Carlow
Scoil Naomh Brid, Co Donegal
Mercy Moyderwell, Tralees, Co Kerry
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • solarschools
Energy Democracy and Community Power
Posted on March 10, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
This event, due to happen in Nenagh, has now moved *online.
The date and time remain the same: Tuesday March 24th at 7pm
*Those who register will receive an email with a link to join a Zoom webinar, with instructions on how to join. We still have a limited number of places for the webinar so registration is on a first come first served basis.
How can we build energy democracy in our communities so that everyone has access to community power?
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy
Solar Schools - For the Love of Solar
Posted on February 24, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
Voting is now live for the Friends of the Earth Solar Schools 2020 competition!!
Our 'For the love of solar' competition is deisgned to help schools all over Ireland to go solar. With thanks to our generous funders, next week we willl be announcing at least 8 schools as winners of solar panels, 4 primary and 4 secondary schools. But really, we think every school should be a solar school. In fact we think every school, community building, sports club and local authority should go solar, to generate clean renewbale energy right from their rooftops.
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • solarschools
We've Switched our Power - and you can too?
Posted on February 20, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
We have been working for years to support policy and legislation changes to enable people and communities take part in the energy transition. And now, it's becoming real! Our great friends and partners in the development of Ireland's first Community based Virtual Power Plant, Community Power have become a licenced supplier of electricity, and we've just switch our office electricity so we are buying electricity that is clean, renewable and owned by citizens and communities. And today, if you have a house, business or community enterprise, you can switch too!
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy
For The Love Of Solar! 2 Weeks To Go!
Posted on January 31, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
WIN SOLAR PANELS for your local school!
Young people all over Ireland calling for climate action while sitting in classrooms and learning in old buildings powered by fossil fuels. Meanwhile, Friends of the Earth are building a movement behind solar power in Ireland, that’s why we are running a competition to put solar panels on schools!
Enter Now!!
This competition is an excellent opportunity for communities to participate in renewable energy generation, and schools are the ideal place for valuable community-based education to occur. The competition will play an important role in encouraging communities to take the first step on their sustainable energy journey.
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy • solarschools
