Solar power lights up Tipperary hotel

A Clonmel hotel is now generating 14% of its electricity from solar power.

The photovoltaic solar panels were installed on the roof of Hotel Minella earlier this year.

Siona Daly, Vice CEO of the Tipperary Energy Agency, has praised the hotel owners Liz and John Nallen for taking this initiative to move away from fossil fuel usage.

“The hotel had already undertaken some lighting upgrades and this year decided to install the solar panels”, she said.

Ms Daly said the hotel had plans for further energy-efficient lighting and heating upgrades in the bedrooms.

The Tipperary Energy Agency has been responsible for the design, tendering, project management and grant co-ordination of the sustainable energy improvements at Hotel Minella, and similar projects across the county.

The agency has identified hotels as one of the largest energy users in the community, and says that the improvements at Hotel Minella could be re-applied throughout the county. 

Grant funding of up to 30% is available for the public and private sectors from the Better Energy Communities Scheme, which provides 50% funding to charities and community facilities.

“The Tipperary Energy Agency is trying to encourage the county to become carbon neutral, while moving away from fossil fuel usage. 

“The upgrades carried out by Hotel Minella are a good example of a business doing just that”, says Siona Daly.

The Tipperary Energy Agency, which has offices in Cahir and Nenagh, says it has been successfully supporting Tipperary to reduce its energy demand for 20 years.

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