180 Degrees

The evidence is clear. Climate change is happening. We need to pick up the pace and take further action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions before it’s too late.   In January this year, the EPA launched Ireland's Climate Change Assessment report (ICCA). The report provides a comprehensive assessment of our understanding of climate change in Ireland and our response to this global crisis - the first report of its kind for Ireland's climate. The EPA also published a second report on ‘Climate in the Irish Mind’, a national survey on climate attitudes in Ireland.  In this episode, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment at the EPA, talks to Sinead about the reports’ key findings and the scale of the challenge ahead for Ireland and how there is still opportunity to reduce the impact of climate change, while also preparing to become climate resilient. To access Ireland's Climate Change Assessment report from the EPA, click here: Ireland’s Climate Change Assessment (ICCA) | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie) To access the 'Climate in the Irish Mind' report, click here: Climate Change in the Irish Mind | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie)

In this episode of 180 Degrees we zoom in on the growing number of ‘Sustainable Energy Community' groups across the country, who are working towards reducing their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and making their communities more sustainable.  180 Degrees Season 5 host Sinead Ryan is joined in the studio with Ruth Buggie of SEAI, Ger O'Halloran of the 'Connecting Cabra' Sustainable Energy Committee and Padraig Fallon, of the GAA Green Club initiative.

In recent years, we are seeing more community groups coming together to take climate action in their local areas. Tackling everything from recycling and biodiversity, to renewable energy projects, ambitious and important climate work is happening locally, and forming the backbone of what it means to be part of an Irish community.   In this episode of 180 Degrees we will zoom in on the growing number of ‘Sustainable Energy Community' groups across the country, who are working towards reducing their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and making their communities more sustainable. These groups are not only adapting to more sustainable energy behaviours, but they are also investing in large-scale energy projects that are benefiting all members of the community  Representatives from different community-focused projects will share their experiences of being part of a community project, and the impact this is having on the wider community. 

In this mini-episode, we enter the realm of Smart Grids and Smart Networks: a technological landscape where the smart grid, an advanced electricity network, facilitates seamless communication between electricity generators and users. Picture this: wind turbines engaging in a sophisticated dialogue with everyday appliances, turning your home into a synchronized hub of energy efficiency.  Fergus Sharkey of SEAI returns and is joined by Chloe Kinsella of Cenergise to take us through the energy technology that lies ahead.

We've heard of ‘smart products’ for our homes and the concept of the ‘Internet of Things’ - where our home appliances and apps can communicate to find the right product or play the ideal music in our living rooms – but are we soon going to have the same options for our home energy use?  Enter the realm of Smart Grids and Smart Networks: a technological landscape where the smart grid, an advanced electricity network, facilitates seamless communication between electricity generators and users. This intricate web ensures optimal balance in meeting electricity demands for household activities like washing, cleaning, charging, and beyond. Picture this: wind turbines engaging in a sophisticated dialogue with everyday appliances, turning your home into a synchronized hub of energy efficiency.  Tune in to find out more! 

In this mini-episode, Fergus Sharkey of SEAI and Tina Dowling, CEO at 'The Watershed' sport and leisure centre in Kilkenny, answer questions on how SEAI is supporting businesses to decarbonise and save on energy costs and what choices Tina made to start the The Watershed's energy journey.

In this episode we discuss how SEAI is supporting businesses to decarbonise and save on energy costs with Fergus Sharkey of SEAI and Tina Dowling, CEO at the Watershed, home of sport and Leisure in Kilkenny. The Watershed, who provide a host of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities and swimming, were finalists in the SME category at the SEAI Energy Awards. Tina discusses how they got started on their energy journey and more importantly, why. 

Data centres are adding more demand onto Ireland’s electrical grid, but can our grid keep up with the scale of the demand, or do we need to add more capacity?  In this mini-episode we discuss how increased demand on our data centres impacts Ireland's climate targets.  Can we reach our 2030 goals while increasing capacity, and what does that mean for Ireland’s energy future. 

Saving to the ‘cloud’ frees up storage on our devices, but despite the name, our data doesn’t disappear into the sky, it’s stored in a data centre.  Data centres are adding more demand onto Ireland’s electrical grid, but can our grid keep up with the scale of the demand, or do we need to add more capacity?  In this episode we discuss how increased demand on our data centres impacts our Climate Action plan.  Can we reach our 2030 goals while increasing capacity, and what does that mean for Ireland’s energy future.  We have our Climate Action Plan for Ireland, which is a roadmap that is updated every year, for taking the right actions to halve Ireland's emissions by 2030 – can the growth of more Data Centres fit into these plans for Ireland’s climate? 

District Heating currently delivers 9% of Europe's total heating demands.  So how does it work and how can it be developed in Ireland?  In this mini-episode we answer your questions on District Heating.