I propose to take Questions Nos. 619 and 626 together.
The current National Energy Efficiency Action Plan was published in May 2009, and outlined the framework for delivering Ireland’s energy efficiency targets, including a 33% reduction in public sector energy consumption by 2020. The second Action Plan, which I will be publishing shortly, provides a progress report on delivery of the national energy savings targets. The Action Plan will show that Ireland is on track to deliver the 20% energy saving target.
The public sector is estimated to spend around €600 million per annum on energy. Achieving our 33% savings target for the public sector would save in the region of €150 million each year. The top 135 public bodies, which account for over 95% of public sector energy consumption, are required to submit detailed energy and activity data to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). From this data, detailed progress scorecards will be produced and published for each organisation. From 2013 on, an online energy data system will facilitate all public bodies, including schools and healthcare facilities, to report detailed energy data and allow SEAI to prepare detailed performance scorecards for all public bodies.
In September I wrote to the head of each public body, reminding them of their obligation to report annually their energy usage to SEAI. Enclosed with each letter was the SEAI report: ‘Energy Use in the Public Sector’, which outlines savings achieved across the public sector to end-2010 amounted to 650 GWh.
The SEAI Public Sector Programme is a comprehensive support framework to assist public bodies in meeting the 33% energy saving target by integrating energy management practices across organisations. While the Programme comprises four main elements including Monitoring and Reporting, Best Practice and Procurement, the flagship element is the Partnership Agreement, which provides tailored support delivered to those organisations who demonstrate commitment to strategic energy management. So far fourteen leading public bodies, with a combined annual energy spend of more than €200 million, have committed to Partnership Agreements that are anticipated to deliver cumulative energy savings of €330 million by 2020. My objective is to encourage other public bodies to join this initiative and demonstrate their commitment and leadership in realising significant energy savings.
As the above indicates, considerable progress with accompanying savings is being made in energy efficiency in the public sector. This effort will be intensified in the coming years. Achievement of €100m savings in just 2 years would require considerable appropriate investment by public bodies at a level which may not be realistic in the current financial climate. Nevertheless, the Deputies can be assured of my strong commitment to realising the goals we have set for energy efficiency in the public sector.
More recently, Better Energy Workplaces evaluates new approaches for implementing sustainable energy upgrades to existing facilities in the public, commercial, industrial and community sectors. By accelerating the scale and depth of retrofit across these sectors the programme aims to create energy efficiency exemplar projects. The scheme disbursed €11 million in grants in 2011, co-financed 85 projects and supported 250 jobs. This year the Better Energy Workplaces Fund has offered support to 145 projects – 44 of which are in the public sector. This scheme has developed public sector and market competence and capacity for pay-as-you-save type models.
Finally, the recently adopted Energy Efficiency Directive will translate elements of the European Efficiency Plan into binding measures on Member States, including an annual rate of renovation for central Government buildings of 3%; an inventory of central Government buildings with a total useful floor area over certain thresholds; and an obligation on public bodies to procure products, services and buildings with high energy efficient performance. The 3% renovation target for central Government buildings represents a challenge for the Office of Public Works (OPW), however, the energy savings will greatly outweigh the costs of renovation. My Department will work closely with the OPW over the coming months to prepare a plan for the realisation of this target.
