Oireachtas Committee to recommend Government include services in Occupied Territories Bill
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Irish Examiner
26 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
How corporate power purchase agreements are helping Ireland's large energy users to power success
SSE Airtricity is synonymous with cleaner, greener energy. The company, which was bought by SSE in 2008, has been actively harnessing Ireland's greatest natural resource – wind – ever since, helping to support Ireland's decarbonisation plans. That trusted heritage in renewable energy is why a growing number of the country's leading energy users, from across commercial and industrial sectors, have chosen to enter into corporate power purchase agreements (CPPAs) with the company. These agreements allow them to purchase renewable electricity under contract, with a guarantee of origin, so they know the electricity provided was generated by a wind farm owned by SSE. Businesses can be confident in their efforts to meet their environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements and their contribution to carbon reduction. And it's not just good news for the environment. It makes good commercial sense too. Signing up to an SSE Airtricity CPPA can help large energy users achieve greater price certainty. By locking in electricity prices for the duration of the contract, such customers are shielded from the volatility of energy markets, allowing for better budgeting and financial planning. It also means they are directly supporting Ireland's energy transition. Because CPPAs provide an additional route to market for generators, independent of the Government-backed Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, they enable new wind farms to be built and existing ones to stay in operation longer. Musgrave – Ireland's leading food retail, wholesale and food service company – has just signed up to an SSE Airtricity CPPA. Together with its retail partners, Musgrave supports more than 41,000 jobs in more than 1,000 stores, offices and distribution centres. These support market leading food and beverage brands such as SuperValu and Centra as well as its wholesale and food service wing, Musgrave Marketplace. In April Musgrave announced a landmark CPPA which will see it purchase 100 per cent of the wind-powered energy from Richfield Wind Farm in Co Wexford and the Bessy Bell 2 Wind Farm in Co Tyrone, both of which are owned and operated by SSE Renewables, a sister company to SSE Airtricity. The energy generated from Richfield Wind Farm and Bessy Bell 2 Wind Farm will help meet the Musgrave Group's electricity needs, including Musgrave offices, 11 distribution centres and 105 SuperValu and Centra retail stores across Ireland. The move is designed to help support Musgrave to decarbonise its operations, manage its energy costs and minimise the financial risk associated with market volatility. 'At Musgrave, we are proud to partner with SSE Airtricity in signing this Corporate Power Purchase Agreement,' says Noel Keeley, chief executive of Musgrave Group. 'This landmark agreement marks a significant milestone in our journey toward net zero, and empowers our SuperValu and Centra stores to meaningfully reduce their environmental impact. Noel Keeley, chief executive of Musgraves and SSE Airtricity's managing director, Stephen Gallagher. 'Our network of stores is deeply committed to driving sustainability and making a positive difference in their local communities. Together with our retail partners we have ambitious plans for our journey to net zero, while supporting the renewable energy sector in Ireland through partnerships like this CPPA.' The first all-island retail CPPA, it was a landmark agreement for the retail sector. 'The partnership reflects our continued commitment to supporting businesses in their sustainability journey,' says SSE Airtricity's managing director, Stephen Gallagher. 'As energy partner, our role is to ensure Musgrave has access to reliable renewable energy solutions and that SuperValu and Centra stores can continue to be leaders in sustainability. We look forward to continued collaborations to drive positive environmental impact, supporting a net-zero future for Ireland.' CPPAs are one of a suite of energy solutions that SSE Airtricity offers. These include energy audits, a free survey supported by SEAI to help commercial customers to better understand their energy usage, identifying cost savings, reducing risk and lowering carbon footprint. SSE Airtricity provides solar PV solutions too, including survey and installation for immediate ESG benefits, the potential for cost savings and long-term price stability, as well as the potential to generate revenue through microgeneration. Through funded solar solutions large users can install commercial solar panels via a solar PPA with no upfront cost. SSE Airtricity also offers practical assistance such as the installation of electric vehicle charging points and can tailor energy solutions to meet the specific needs of businesses, supporting sustainability and operational efficiency goals. Its distributed energy solutions meanwhile provide large users with modular energy generation and storage technologies, another fully financed energy solution designed around your needs. The tailored aspect of SSE Airtricity CPPAs, and their ease of use, are important parts of the value proposition. 'A lot of people think this is the realm of Big Tech or data centres because they are very active in this space. But effectively the product we have developed is both personalised and simplified for diverse industry sectors. Each CPPA is completely bespoke and we have worked very hard to simplify the process so that customers have one contract and one single point of contact,' explains David O'Byrne, the company's head of industrial and commercial contracts. 'Each agreement is between one partner and one clean energy solution, which is why each and every one of these agreements is different,' he says. 'We come in, get to know your business, look at demand and usage throughout your organisation on an annualised basis, and then tailor an agreement to suit.' In having an SSE Airtiricty CPPA, organisations are not only securing a reliable source of renewable energy – they're also playing a meaningful role in Ireland's energy transition. In Musgrave's case for example, its agreement directly continues the demand for energy from Richfield Wind Farm, contributing to the extension of life of a key renewable asset. 'A CPPA provides clear, verifiable proof that your business is serious about climate action,' says O'Byrne. 'A CPPA can offer greater price stability, enabling businesses to secure a competitive fixed energy rate for the energy generated over the agreement's term. That support in managing exposure to market fluctuations can make longer-term budgeting more predictable,' he says. 'We only have to remember the impact Russia's invasion of Ukraine had on energy prices to appreciate the value of that. CPPAs also helps protect energy security, another concern for businesses. 'Having a dedicated source of renewable energy, as Musgrave does, provides CPPA customers with greater visibility and assurance over their energy supply. It also reinforces their commitment to sustainability and supports the broader development of renewable infrastructure in Ireland.' Visit for more information.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
EU's von der Leyen: 15% the 'best we could get'
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen defended the trade deal clinched with United States on Sunday as "the best we could get." A 15% baseline tariff will now apply to all EU exports to the US, with the union agreeing to buy up $750bn worth of US energy and to invest $600bn into the US economy in the years ahead. The deal prevents a massive trade war between the US and the EU. Asked if she considered 15% a good deal for European carmakers, von der Leyen told reporters: "15% is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get." The EU committed to purchasing $750 billion worth US Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and nuclear fuel over three years. "We still have too much Russian LNG that is coming through the back door," she said. The European Commission has proposed phasing out all Russian gas imports by January 2028. "Today's deal creates certainty in uncertain times, delivers stability and predictability," von der Leyen told reporters before leaving Scotland. Government sources, while welcoming the deal, were cautious and said they would need to see the finer details of the agreement. One senior source said 'nobody was jumping with joy' over the deal due to baseline tariffs, but that it did provide certainty to businesses. Read More Trade war averted as Government cautiously welcomes EU-US deal
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Wicklow Gaelscoil faces loss of teacher because it is ‘only one pupil short of the threshold'
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, has called on the government to intervene to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in Gaelscoileanna and to prevent the loss of a teacher from Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh, in Bray, this September. 'Following the crash in 2011, the government made the damaging decision to increase the pupil-teacher ratio in Gaelscoileanna, under the guise of aligning them with English-medium schools,' Deputy Brady said. 'This policy shift has had long-term consequences, and now we see those consequences play out locally in Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh, which is being forced to lose a teacher because they are only one pupil short of the threshold. It is disgraceful and deeply unfair,' he said. Deputy Brady said he has repeatedly raised the issue with the Education Minister Helen McEntee, but the Department has refused to consider exceptional circumstances, despite the significant impact this decision will now have on the school community, something he described as 'completely unacceptable'. 'I have been in contact with the Minister for Education, but despite the very clear case put forward by the school and community, there is a total unwillingness to show any flexibility. The result is that the children are being punished, staff are being stretched, and the quality of the education is being compromised', he said. The Wicklow TD also highlighted the 'hypocrisy at the heart of government claims' to support the Irish language and expand opportunities for Irish-medium education, while 'failing to back that rhetoric with real investment or meaningful policy change'. 'The Programme for Government set a target of 19:1 pupil teacher ratio for primary schools. But the reality in classrooms, particularly in many Gaelscoileanna, is worlds apart. Schools are overcrowded, under-resourced and under constant pressure. The decision to strip Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh of a teacher shows just how little regard this Government has for Irish-medium schools and for the children who attend them,' he said. He also criticised what he described as 'the ongoing failure of successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments' to tackle staffing issues in Gaelcholaistí, pointing to Coláiste Ráithín, in Bray, as an example of a school facing persistent difficulties. 'Year after year, Coláiste Ráithín is left scrambling to fill teaching posts due to staff shortages beyond their control. It is a repeated cycle that the Government refuses to fix. They 'talk the talk' regarding the Irish language, but when it comes to real support for the schools delivering Irish-language education, they vanish. It is a fantastic school, and they should not have this constant worry,' he said. He said that unless the Government reinstates the previous, lower pupil-teacher ratio for Gaelscoileanna and immediately intervenes to prevent the loss of staff at Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh, they will continue to fail children, parents and communities who recognise the value of Irish-medium education. 'If the government is serious about investing in children's education, about supporting the Irish language, and about giving real choice to families as to where they send their children to school, they must act now,' he concluded.
