Technology

Large employers saved €60m in energy costs in 2008

13.11.2009
Large employers operating in Ireland succeeded in saving €60m in energy costs in 2008, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan TD has told a Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) conference today.

The SEI global conference on energy management, which is being held in Farmleigh today, heard how companies such as Intel, Diageo, Pfizer, Glanbia and Tesco, who are among the 122 members of SEI’s Large Energy Network (LIEN), collectively slashed their energy costs last year.

“Ireland’s large enterprises are developing innovative energy solutions and moving towards exporting their energy expertise,” said Minister Ryan (pictured) as he launched SEI’s annual LIEN report at the conference.

“This is vital to developing the green economy and will support jobs and innovative industry into the future. It also builds upon Ireland’s foundation as a leader in the area of energy management.”

“€60m in savings is of huge importance in these economic times. It demonstrates again that many Irish companies are very successfully improving their energy performance and reducing costs,” said SEI CEO Professor Owen Lewis.

“Ireland is building an international reputation for success in advanced energy management,” he added.

Energy experts from over 20 countries including the US, Japan, Italy and Finland gathered at the SEI conference in Dublin today to learn about the success of Ireland’s large enterprises in driving substantial energy efficiencies through implementing Ireland’s Energy Management Standard.

SEI’s LIEN programme has been in place for 15 years. Participants in the programme represent over 60pc of Ireland’s industrial energy use and collectively had energy costs in excess of €1bn in 2008.