Partner Bios

IRRI is active in seeking innovations that will help accelerate the theory and practice of resource use. IRRI’s cause is making the world’s resources stretch to meet the world’s needs. We cannot invent any more resources than the world can provide. But we can invent new ways of using them to make them stretch further.

The organisation exists to link the public and private sectors to the academic sector on an international basis in partnerships that address new and unexplored routes towards more effective and equitable resource use.

Our work connects with policy-makers in all regions and IRRI is trusted within the public, private and academic sectors to be able to draw out the most productive issues for exploration, and design projects with interest and potential for a wide variety of partners and concerns.

 

European Experience

IRRI designs, develops and manages innovative partnership projects addressing different areas of resource use. Currently all projects are based in European partnerships and are funded by the European Union. Two are in water management, dealing with groundwater management, and with the creation of new lakes and wetlands; two deal with renewable energy for communities, and for SME’s; one is examining means of helping to make islands more sustainable; and one is working with the principles of variable pricing and the use of smart metering for increased energy efficiency.

IRRI has developed a network of partners throughout Europe, working together on innovations in some of the most critical resource issues confronting modern society, related to water and energy. Its partners include world-leading bodies such as British Geological Survey, as well as major development bodies, such as Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Energy Savings Trust and Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership.

 

AR is the leading authority on renewable energy in Northern Ireland. The company is a not for profit organisation, and is highly regarded as being impartial and independent. The company is also highly regarded for its level of expertise in all energy related matters, but with a deep understanding of communities and experience of projects functioning in other EU regions. Although it is a small company with just 15 full time staff, the company has expertise in all forms of energy efficiency, climate change issues, CO2 emission reduction, renewable energy, financing issues, community groups and regions within the NPA area. AR has worked with both the public and private sectors, and understands how disparate they both are and has the necessary expertise to manage the triple helix type partnership with the unique issues that can bring.

 

European Experience

AR has had substantial experience in EU INTERREG projects during the last 6 years. The company’s first experience was as work package leaders in two Strategic NPP projects, SMALLEST and RASLRES. Following this the company joined several new projects, again as WP leads: SECRE, TransTourism, Wares and BIOPAD. More recently in the last three years AR was the Lead Partner in an Atlantic Area project ‘BATTERIE’. Batterie has a budget of €3.4m and 11 partners. The 3 year project has been successful and will finish on 31^st Dec 2014. AR is also the Lead Partner of a smaller Atlantic Area project called ‘REPUTE’. This 1.5 year project has a budget of €1.4m and has 7 partners, and will finish in June 2015

 

Clár ICH has been directly involved as a partner in two NPP funded projects, WARES and NEES. As a voluntary housing association, Clár ICH have provided capacity building tools to community owned water schemes and renewable energy pilot projects in the west regions of Ireland. Clar ICH have maximised its strategic community based links with local and national actors to target effectively rural disadvantaged communities. Projects include the development of a 36 unit sheltered housing development showcasing renewable and water conservation features, the delivery of the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme targeting fuel poor homes by installing energy upgrades, delivering energy upgrades in geographical areas identified as fuel poor by Government Policy, conducting research studies into renewable energy solutions using natural resources available in the area.

Clár ICH has adopted the principles of conservation and sustainability in all projects delivered. These include the formation of a network called the Sustainable Housing Network, funded nationally, and involved the up skilling of staff of voluntary housing associations in the areas of sustainability and conservation. Working with organisations such as ICH ensures that resources are targeted and delivered effectively in rural communities

 

European Experience

 

Clár ICH has been directly involved in two NPP projects, WARES and Nees. In Wares Clár ICH researched 2D/3D representation of WARES pilots. They were involved in coordinating development of 2D and 3D maps of sample WARES pilot with consultants, liaising with pilot owners to collate info on site drawings and specifics of renewable energy development.

 

In Nees, Clár ICH showcased the renewable energy and energy conservation building materials in Mayfield Lake Development. This involved delivering community training and dissemination initiatives as well as building community features with natural material such as a mobile pizza oven. Clár ICH developed a pilot project in the communal building of Mayfield Lake Development insulating the attic with a recycled paper based product called ecocel.

Capacity building of communities to manage community-owned water assets in a financially stable and sustainable manner and to develop decentralised renewable energy utilising those assets for the long term.

Helping communities to develop robust energy and proven renewable energy solutions for community owned water resources to address the challenges of climate change. In many parts of rural Ireland but particularly along the west coast and in County Mayo rural communities have relied on a community ownership model to provide for their drinking water needs.

There are over 200 of these communities owned “Group Water Schemes” in County Mayo which were put in place in the 1970s and originally consisted of a water source, some pumping and minimal water treatment/purification.

The requirement to comply with ECJ Rulings relating to drinking water quality has placed considerable responsibility on these communities and they have, in partnership with Mayo County Council, invested significantly in upgrading treatment facilities and water distribution networks over the last ten years.

Water quality is now not an issue with the 200 schemes but the challenge of energy and water conservation is a real concern for these community owned water supply schemes.

Mayo County Council along with the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (the umbrella body for the Group Schemes) have identified the ability and capacity of the communities to address the challenge of Energy Conservation and would like to test the potential for the water assets owned by the communities to deliver renewable energy to support the operation of the assets.

 

European Experience

Mayo County Council recently participated in the WARES project (Northern Periphery Programme) in which IRRI were lead partners. Mayo County Council is currently lead partner on the CINEW project (Atlantic Area Transnational Programme) and is a partner in the RURAL ALLIANCES project (North West Europe Programme).

Mayo County Council were previously lead partner in the CISNET project (Atlantic Area Transnational Programme), partners on the MicrE project (Northern Periphery Programme) and worked with lead partners IRRI on the SMALLEST project (Northern Periphery Programme).

Jokkmokk municipality is one of the Northern communities facing the challenge of increasing energy costs and risks associated with climate change and depopulation. The municipality is actively striving for responding to these challenges by implementing sustainable management of community water assets, waste heat use and innovative renewable energy solutions. Already now, Jokkmokk is a centre of climate-friendly energy production (11 hydropower station, producing 12.5 TWh/year) and even a centre of energy related vocational education in cooperation with energy business. The municipality is a Covenant of Mayor signatory and member of the Swedish Ecomunicipalities.

Within the Interreg IVA project NNCC and the IEE SEAP-Plus project, Jokkmokk created interlinkages with municipalities in all over the Northern region (Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and beyond). Jokkmokk municipality coached 10 communities in Sweden and Latvia in developing Sustainable Energy Action Plans according to the Covenant of Mayors.

 

European Experience

Jokkmokk municipality is highly experienced in participating in and coordinating national and EU co-financed projects. Jokkmokk municipality participated in the IEE funded project SEAP-Plus and were lead partner for the Interreg IVA Nord project Northern Network on Climate Change. Jokkmokk worked in further projects related to energy and climate, e.g.: Rural Development Programme (Landsbygdsprogrammet) and Swedish Energy Agency programme Strategic work with Energy Efficiency in Municipalities.

NorTech Oulu is the Centre of Northern Environmental Technologies operating within the Thule Institute, a multidisciplinary research centre of environmental northern and arctic issues and natural resources. The key competences of NorTech are research in Northern and Arctic environmental technologies, especially in renewable energy, as well as resource and energy efficiency. Specialization especially and decentralized energy system, smart energy networks, CO₂ reduction through energy efficiency and sustainability assessment especially in applications for sparsely populated Northern areas. Role in the project is research, training, and publications in technical solutions for decentralised renewable energy systems as well as mapping energy efficiency opportunities in water utilities. In addition, research relating to CO2 reduction and social impact assessment.

 

European Experience

NorTech Oulu has extensive experiences in participating in and coordinating EU co-financed projects. NorTech Oulu participated in the WARES and MicrE NPP projects, has led the KA 192 (Green cities and settlements) Karelia ENPI CBC project, and participated in the KA 385 (Energy efficiency training for SMEs) Karelia ENPI and KO 437 (Enhancement of oil spill response system) Kolarctic ENPI CBC projects.