The Government has licensed 19 new alternative electricity generators allowing companies across the State to produce their own power and heat.
The contracts, which will receive grants totalling £35 million, are typically for the construction of small, natural-gas generators that use combined heat and power (CHP) technology. These generate usable heat as well as electricity, with any surplus sold to the ESB.
The Minister of State for Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob, said the installations would involve 42 megawatts of new capacity and the upgrading of 7.6 megawatts of existing capacity. The Government decision would result in a 50 per cent increase in the total installed CHP capacity in the Republic, he added.
"This represents an investment of £35 million in highly-efficient local electricity generating units, and illustrates once again my commitment to promoting greater efficiency of energy usage," Mr Jacob said. "The production of 50 megawatts of electricity with this technology will reduce carbon emissions by 50,000 tonnes per annum and save up to £5 million in energy costs each year."
The Government's target for newly-installed electricity generation capacity from CHP had been increased from 35 megawatts to 50 megawatts as a result of the keen interest in this initiative, Mr Jacob said.
EU funding of £1.8 million will be available for the successful new projects.
The licensees include Guinness Ireland, Dublin; Motorola, Dublin; Citywest Business Park, Dublin; Mercy Hospital, Cork; Golden Vale plc, Co Cork; Kilmeaden cheese plant, Co Waterford; Connemara Coast Hotel, Co Galway; Cambrickville International Packaging, Dundalk; Vistakon Ireland, Limerick; and Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council.
