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Mayo Energy Agency

Mayo Energy Agency was established to promote energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy within the region

Mayo Energy Agency is one of 12 energy agencies in Ireland - working to reduce energy consumption and, therefore, carbon dioxide emissions. The Agency is part funded by the European Commission - under the SAVE II program - with its Partners -

Mayo County Council
Ballina Town Council
Pisa Energy Agency (Italy)
Energy Centre of Trikala (Greece).

The Agency's General Objectives include -

To undertake programs of specific actions and plans for County Mayo.
To adopt a course of education and encouragement to enable the greater use of Renewable Energy Resources in the County.
To address energy economy issues with an integrated approach to all development in County Mayo.
To promote the efficient and rational use of energy (electricity, oil, solid fuel, etc.).
To provide an energy awareness to the general public.
To promote and facilitate renewable and sustainable energy technologies.

Its Specific Objectives are -

To develop a database of energy use and resources within the County.
To develop a database of CO2 emissions within the County and set a target for reduction.
To see 10% of the regions electrical energy requirements generated by renewable energy.
To increase the client base of the Agency's energy auditing services.
Assessment of the regions renewable energy potential - i.e. wind, wave, hydro, biogas, solar, etc.

Mayo Energy Agency provides a number of vital services throughtout its area of operation. These include -

A. Energy Auditing Services - Industrial and Commercial Energy Audits
The benefits of having an Energy Audit include reduced energy bills and tax savings on oil, gas and electricity consumption. Most buildings are extremely inefficient in their energy consumption and, accordingly, substantial energy savings can be made as a result of carrying out the recommendations of an audit. In addition, creating a better working environment for staff and customers alike, can increase productivity and profitability.

The components of a typical audit include -

	Electrical tariff analysis
	Heat loss calculations through the building fabric
	Lighting system analysis
	Heating and control system analysis
	Building Energy Performance Index MJ/M2

Mayo Energy Agency also provides additional services for commercial and industrial businesses.

B. Energy Conservation
Saving energy at home is easy and not always expensive. If you simply start to think and become aware about energy, you can reduce your bills by 5%. County Mayo spends approximately £146 million on energy annually. Each person in Mayo spends over £1,000 per year on energy. Mayo homes produce in the region of 225,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. It is carbon dioxide that is the main cause of Global Warming. The following simple facts will help to reduce energy consumption - and, therefore, the production of carbon dioxide:

1. Heating

Reducing your central heating thermostat setting by 1 oC can save up to 10% on your fuel bill.
Don't place furniture in front of radiators and heaters.
Use thick lined curtains - these will act as insulation and stop heat leaving the room.
Put reflective foil behind radiators - the foil reflects heat back in to the room.
Don't open doors or windows to cool down a room - turn down the heating thermostat instead.
Fill in gaps between floors and skirting board, using modern sealants which will ensure draught-free rooms.

2. Lighting

Energy saving bulbs use about quarter of the energy of a standard bulb for the same amount of light and up to 10 times longer.
Switch off lights in rooms that are not being used.
When buying energy saving light bulbs, please note that Low Voltage does not mean low energy and you will not save any electricity by using them.
If replacing standard florescent tubes (T12), it is best to replace them with a more energy efficient T8 model.

3. Insulation

A hot water cylinder lagging jacket costs about €11 and will save almost €3 per week.
Make sure any loft hatch fits snugly - warm air rises and will find a way out if it can.
If you cannot afford double glazing, consider using secondary glazing (e.g. a plastic sheet of polycell or cling film) - which, although not permanent, does cut down on heat loss through the glass and can eliminate draughts. It is also low cost and can be removed during the summer.

4. Water

Fix dripping hot taps promptly - otherwise you are wasting €'s per year for the sake of a small rubber washer.
Set hot water thermostats to 55-60oC max - there is no point heating water to the point where it has to be cooled down before you can use it.
Use plugs in basins and sinks, etc. - running the hot water tap is expensive and wasteful.
Take a shower instead of a bath - a shower typically uses only 20% the amount of hot water that a bath uses - so you could have five refreshing showers for the price of a bath.

5. Appliances

Only boil as much water in the kettle as is required.
Once a saucepan is boiling, turn down the heat down - vigorous boiling is no hotter than gentle boiling. Use a lid - this will cut down on moisture escaping.
Defrost fridges and freezers regularly. Try to keep the fridge door shut and your freezer full (even if you just use empty boxes).
Try to install fridges and freezers well away from cookers and other sources of heat.
Don't put hot food in the fridge - this causes the fridge to heat up, which means it has to use energy to cool itself down again.
Turn the TV fully off. A television could cost you up to €16 extra per year just by being left on 'Standby'.

To learn more about your energy consumption, click here to fill out Mayo Energy Agency's Online Home Energy Survey.

C. Renewable Energy
The use of renewable energy is growing annually - this is due to environmental and security of supply issues. The world currently gets its energy from the burning of fossil fuels. These are responsible for the release of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2) and volatile organic compounds(VOCs). These contribute to acid rain, photochemical smogs and the greenhouse effect which causes global warming. Renewable energy is a clean, green way of producing electricity without the harmful by-products.

The second issue is security of supply. In Ireland, we import almost 90% of our energy needs. As has happened in the recent and distant past, oil and gas prices are prone to flucation and dramatic price increase.

1. Wind Energy

Mayo has an excellent wind energy resurce. Ireland's first commerical wind farm was built in Bellacorrick Co. Mayo in 1992. The wind farm consists of 21 turbines with a total installed capacity of 6.45MW - and produces enough electricity to supply 4,500 households. There are further wind farm developments for the County in the pipeline.
Deregulation of the Irish electricity market has opened up new opportunities and now "green " electricity produced can be sold directly to consumers.

2. Hydro

Utilising the energy of our rivers and streams is one of the oldest forms of power generation.

Using turbines, the power of flowing water can be used to produce electricity. To-day hydropower supplies almost 20% of world electricity.

Mayo has an extensive hydro resource only a small fraction of which is currently utilised.

3. Biomass

Because they are regenerated through natural cycles, agricultural waste, wood from conventional forestry, short rotation coppiced willow, etc. can be regarded as Renewable Resources. They contain carbon and so, by various methods, can be used as alternatives to fossil fuels to produce heat or electricity.
These sources can be used to produce heat or electricity and can be linked to farming and improve sustainable development. Of all the renewable technologies, bioenergy has the greatest potential for long term job creation.

4. Solar

Solar energy can be utilsed to produce either electricity or heat. In Ireland, its most useful application is in the production of hot water. A solar panel can be mounted on the south-facing roof and be plumbed into the exisiting hot water cylinder.
Solar water heating systems typically have a pay-back period (the length of time need to produce energy to the value of the cost of installation) of between five to eight years.

D. Additional Services
Mayo Energy Agency also supplies Electrical and Mechanical Services for Industrial and Commercial Businesses. These services include -

Electrical Data Logging and Analysis.
Electrical and Mechancial Surveying & Analysis.
Plant Maintenance Schedules.
Building Fabric Analysis.
Energy Efficient Electrical & Mechancial Design.
Product Evaluation.

As part of its ongoing efforts to promote energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy within the region, Mayo Energy Agency has provided the following publications -

No Cost and Low Cost Tips - This fact sheet has been designed to show that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to make energy savings in the home. It gives tips and ideas for things that can be carried out quite simply and economically - and which will continue saving energy and money in the future - click here
Thermal Insulation - Thermal insulation is still the most important and the most cost effective way of saving energy - and, for virtually all homes, will have the single largest impact on reducing fuel costs year after year. Improving the thermal insulation standards of the home should, therefore, be everyone’s No.1 priority - click here
The Energy Label - It is now possible to be selective when purchasing certain new appliances. By taking note of the energy label when making a purchase, it is possible to choose products which have a lighter operating efficiency - saving money on fuel bills - click here
Low Energy Lighting - The amount of electricity that any light uses, irrespective of it’s type, is its “Watts” rating - abbreviated to “W”. Ordinary light bulbs are available in 25W, 40W, 60W, 100W and 150W, etc. A 150W bulb uses 2½ times as much electricity as a 60W bulb - click here
Heating and Hot Water - Before carrying out any major changes, such as installing a new central heating system or replacing an old boiler, make sure that the home is really well insulated (see Thermal Insulation). Not only will this reduce the fuel bills year-on-year, but the initial costs will be lower as it will be possible to use a smaller boiler, radiators, pipe work, etc. - click here
Business & Enterprise - it is estimated that, nationally, businesses could save 20% on their energy costs with no capital outlay - and that savings of 30% or more are possible with very limited capital outlay. This fact sheet gives a very brief introduction to some of the possibilities - click here
Household Cooking Appliances - Cooking habits, not technology, represent the biggest potential for energy savings in the kitchen. More efficient appliances can help trim energy bills as well - although, with the exception of the microwave, new cooking technologies aren't resulting in breakthrough energy savings - click here
Water Conservation - Water is a valuable, fundamental resource that should not be wasted. Eventually it will recycle itself, but the clean water used in homes has limitations. If each person uses only what is needed, the natural water supply will always be adequate - click here
Combined Heat & Power - Combined Heat and Power - or CHP, as it is more commonly referred to - is the simultaneous generation of electricity and heat in a single process - click here
Small Wind Turbines - Small wind energy systems can be used in connection with an electricity transmission and distribution system (called grid- connected systems), or in stand-alone applications that are not connected to the utility- supplied grid - click here
Solar Thermal Energy - Since the beginning of time, the sun has been the source of energy and life on earth. It is a huge nuclear reactor, at 6,000 ºC, which provides our planet with heat and light. Today, solar energy can provide cost-effective solutions to fight climate change and reduce our dependency on expensive and polluting fuels - click here
Hydro Power - The history of waterpower goes back to the very earliest of civilisations and began with the use of water mills for grinding corn. The adoption of water turbines enabled the development of hydroelectric projects - some of which now generate thousands of megawatts - click here
Geotherm - The burning of fossil fuels to meet our energy demand is resulting in the emission of vast amounts of greenhouse gases. This has attained such a level in the last decades that it poses a serious threat on our climate - click here
Biomass - Biomass consists of all growing organic solid matter - such as plants, trees, grasses and peat. The concept of biofuel refers to liquid biomass-derived fuels - click here
Anaerobic Digestion - Anaerobic digesters produce conditions that encourage the natural breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of air. Anaerobic digestion (AD) provides an efficient and effective method for converting residues from livestock farming and food processing into useful products - click here

For further information, contact:

Mayo Energy Agency
Arran place
Ballina
Co. Mayo

Tel: 096 76113
Fax 096 76199
Email: mayoenergy@eircom.net
Web: www.mayoenergy.ie