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CIÉ transport group to install solar panels on buildings and roofs on its property
The State-owned
CIÉ
transport group has said it is to begin installing solar panels on its property across the country.
Group chairman Aidan Murphy said that the initiative would 'generate significant long-term savings for the exchequer'.
The group's annual report for 2024, which has been published by the Oireachtas, indicated that as it increased the electrification of its operations, it was moving to generate the move to generate power from its own resources.
'Planning commenced in 2024 for long term solar PV investment across CIÉ properties and lands. As a significant landowner, with a large area of rooftop space and car parking locations, CIÉ Group has notable potential to install solar PV capacity to mitigate our increasing demand on the electricity grid due to the electrification of our operations.'
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A spokesman for the CIÉ Group said it was primarily looking at installing solar panels on roofs and structures that it owned.
The CIÉ Group includes transport companies Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann.
Mr Murphy said in the report that during 2024 'the CIÉ Group achieved a record high of 322 million passenger journeys'.
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He said the programme of investment in battery electric vehicles and alternative fuels, alongside the expansion of the DART network, was transforming network services and infrastructure.
'These advancements will not only reduce emissions but also improve air quality and enhance the passenger experience. In addition, we continue to work closely with the Government to align national and European transport and energy policy supportingthe EU Green Deal, including the implementation of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation and the Renewable Fuel Transport Obligation.'
The report said that Iarnród Éireann was collaborating with a company from Latvia to trial 'Europe's first retrofitted hydrogen freight locomotive'.
It said under this €1.5m project an existing diesel locomotive would be converted, with a hydrogen internal combustion engine installed. This would enable it 'to run on renewable, zero-emission hydrogen fuel instead of diesel'.
A spokesman for the group said on Friday that work on fitting out the existing diesel locomotive was under way. He said testing would begin later this year and service trials would commence in 2026.
Overall the group reported a net surplus after tax last year of €0.1 million.
'In overall terms, revenue in 2024 increased by €162 million (from €1,682 million to €1,844 million). This is mainly due to an increase in revenue for (State subsidised) public service obligation services across all three operating companies, but also the increase in school's transport revenue in Bus Éireann and commercial revenue across the group.'
'The group is reporting an increase of €12 million from commercial (non-public service obligation) revenue in 2024 over 2023, with modest increases across commercial businesses in Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and CIÉ Tours', the report said.
The report also said that the net defined benefit pension scheme liability in the group at the end of 2024 was €361 million. At the end of 2023, this liability was estimated at €371 million.
Staff at the companies in the group will shortly ballot on reform proposals that offers retired personnel increases up to five per cent – the first rise in 17 years.
