Tipperary Town and District Energy Fair will show public how to save money by saving energy

Tipperary Town Energy Fair takes place at Tipperary Excel on Mitchell Street on Thursday evening, January 18.

The event will feature information on saving energy, an Energy Clinic for local householders and businesses, as well as the launch of Tipperary Town Community Energy Plan by Tipperary Town Revitalisation and Tipperary Tidy Towns. 

The Energy Fair is a chance for community members to hear the findings of Tipperary Town’s Community Energy Plan, as well as how householders, community groups and businesses can get energy grants.

The Energy Clinic will also give people a chance to get one-to-one independent advice and information on their energy upgrades from energy engineers and project coordinators.

The Community Energy Plan has been carried out by Energy Consultants ORS with funding provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) through their Sustainable Energy Communities programme (www.seai.ie/sec). 

The Energy Plan summarises the town's energy use in homes, transport and business.

One of its key findings is that €30 million leaves Tipperary Town each year to pay for imported energy.

Reducing that by half through insulation or local renewable energy generation would make the town more wealthy and prosperous.

The Energy Plan outlines a roadmap for the town to harness the investment and employment opportunities by saving and generating energy in homes, businesses and the community. 

The Energy Plan also funded a number of detailed energy gudits in local community facilities and businesses. Funding for the plan was secured by Tipperary Town Revitalisation and Tipperary Tidy Towns.

Doors to the Energy Fair will open at 6.30pm for people to visit trade/information stands and meet presenters.

The evening will begin at 7pm, with the official launch of the local Energy Plan by Cllr Declan Burgess, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary/Cashel/Cahir Municipal District. 

The findings will be presented by Dan Fennell of O’Reilly Stuart (ORS) Consultants.

Other topics to be covered by guest speakers include: “SEAI Supports to Communities” by Ruth Buggie, Programme Manager with the SEAI; “Accessing the Tipperary Community Climate Action Fund” by Marie O’Donnell, Tipperary County Council Climate Action Officer, the Green For Micro and Other Business Supports by Ita Horan, Local Enterprise Office.

The presentations will conclude with a panel discussion and Q&A on the next steps for the community.  This will be followed by the Energy Clinic, which will run from 8.15pm-9pm. 

This evening is being hosted by the SEC steering group including Tipperary Town Revitalisation and Tipperary Town Tidy Towns, with assistance from the SEAI Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) mentor Gearóid Fitzgibbon.

The project has been funded as part of the SEAI Sustainable Energy Communities Programme. Specific information leaflets will be available to home and business owners and farmers with details of home energy grants and how to apply. 

Tipperary Town Revitalisation Manager Michael Begley hopes the plan will leverage significant investment in the town.

“The plan outlines the baseline energy consumption and a Community Action Plan that identifies paths to save and generate energy and create local employment and investment.

"Several homes and community facilities undertook detailed audits as part of the programme and we hope that they will progress with energy upgrades in the near future, utilising the supports that are available while acting as pathfinders for others looking to undertake similar projects.”

Doors open at 6.30pm with tea/coffee & light refreshments served on arrival.

All are welcome on the evening and registration is available online at www.tipptownrevitalisation.ie  You can also call the Tipp Town Revitalisation Office.