Climate Action Fund to provide €17.5 million to make our public lighting more energy efficient
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From: Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
- Published on: 10 October 2024
- Last updated on: 15 October 2024
- Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Roads Management Office sign a grant agreement for the Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP)
Over €17 million is being invested by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications' Climate Action Fund to upgrade up to 200,000 existing local authority public lights to high efficiency LED lanterns, which will make them 55% greener.
The project, called the Local Authority Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP), encompasses 21 local authorities and is being implemented in 3 distinct regions – South West regional project led by Cork County Council, East regional project led by Kilkenny County Council and North West regional project led by Mayo County Council. These coincide with three regional projects under one grant agreement.
To date over 216,000 lights have been surveyed to determine which need to be upgraded in the South West and East regions with a detailed inventory created. Surveying is to commence in the North West region.
Already, over 50% of lights requiring retrofit have been converted to LEDs, and lighting design is ongoing. Lighting design is a complex area which takes in many factors, including a light’s location, pole height, project specification and standards, appearance requirements, environmental and ecological issues and so on. Further details on the project can be found at the the Public Lighting website.
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan said:
"This funding will make the lighting of our streets and roads much more energy efficient. It follows on from the conversion of our public lighting that has already happened. It’s a great example of the practical and tangible benefits of the Climate Action Fund, which is funded through levies accrued on polluting fossil fuel use. The leadership of local authorities is key to delivering climate actions that really work. With this funding, we are moving away from traditional public lighting to LED luminaires – a move that will benefit us now and into the future, with greater energy efficiency, reduced maintenance and energy costs, lower light pollution, and reduced CO2 emissions."
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
Government's Climate Action Fund:
The Climate Action Fund was established on a statutory basis in 2020 to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets. The fund also supports projects and initiatives in regions of the State, and within sectors of the economy, impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy. The fund is resourced from sources including official flight emissions offset payments and from proceeds from the levy paid to the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) in respect of relevant disposals of petroleum products, after the funding requirements of NORA have been met.
Climate Action Fund Call 1
In 2018, approval in principle issued for seven projects valued at almost €77 million. Six of these projects are in delivery (Local Authority Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project – PLEEP, ESB eCars Project, South Dublin County Council’s District Heating Project, Irish Rail's Hybrid Drive for Inter City Railcar Project, South East Energy Agency’s Greener HGV Program, and Gas Networks Ireland’s Green Renewable Agricultural Zero Emissions Project).
Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP)
The Local Authority Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP), developed by the Road Management Office (RMO), was approved as eligible for support of up to €17.47 million in 2018 under the first call for applications by the then Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications. This was one of seven projects approved by the Minister based on the recommendation of the Climate Action Fund Advisory Board.
The project is an ambitious energy efficiency project which forms part of local government's objective of replacing all existing local authority public lights where possible with higher efficiency LED Lanterns, supporting our national objectives under the climate action plan. Local authorities monitor progress of this figure with the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) since 2021.
For PLEEP to obtain funding it is agreed that:
- the project will replace approximately 200,000 non-LED lights in participating local authorities to achieve a 55% energy efficiency
- the project shall report at regular intervals to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. With the entire project developed over three regional projects, the Department will have strong oversight of the entire project as it progresses
- the project has several key performance indicators that must be met and reported on (for example the number of LEDs retrofitted and the percentage of energy saving achieved)