Summer 2011 Issue 17 EDITORIAL Welcome to the Summer edition of the EnviroCentre Newsletter. In this issue we will examine

some of the environmental news stories that have made the headlines as we enter the holiday

season. We also look at a number of Irish companies who are using opportunities provided by the

‘green market’ to develop eco-innovative products and services.

Inside this Issue

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The dairy sector in Ireland comprises some of the world’s most successful food companies,

especially in the areas of dairy ingredients and infant nutrition. It accounts for 30% of Ireland’s

agricultural output and enjoys an annual turnover of €3.4 billion. In the coming years, due to

increasing market demand, CAP reform, the abolition of the milk quota system and enhanced milk

production, the dairy processing sector is poised to expand and extend its market reach. It is vital

that the sector meet customer expectations of resource efficiency and environmental sustainability.

For this reason, Environment & Green Technologies Department of Enterprise Ireland undertook a

review of the sector in order to measure performance in Ireland and benchmark this against

international best practice. Our Spotlight section gives a summary analysis of this review which

assessed data from 15 plants representing over 90% of Ireland’s milk processing capacity.

Details of upcoming events/seminars are also outlined in this edition.

Please feel free to forward this issue to a colleague and let us know if there are any topics you

would like covered in future issues, or any news items or events your company may like included.

NEWS UPDATE

Eco-innovation Funding Support for SMEs

Green Deal for Hothouse Start-up

Enterprise Ireland Launch New Green Offer

Irish Companies and Researchers Urged to Access €3.2bn European Public-

Private Partnership Funding Initiative

SEAI Launch Better Energy Workplaces 2011 for Business and Public

Sector

Eco-innovation Funding Support for SMEs

Enterprise Ireland is the national point of contact for companies interested in applying for financial

support for Eco-innovation under the E.U. Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP).

support for Eco-innovation under the E.U. Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP).

The programme supports innovative ideas which can be turned into marketable green products and

services which also have the potential for market replication. It is aimed at bridging the gap between

RTD and commercialisation. It helps good ideas for innovative products, services and processes that

protect the environment become fully-fledged commercial prospects, ready for use by business and

industry. The programme has a budget of approximately €200 million and is aimed primarily at SME’s.

The programme supports innovative ideas which can be turned into marketable green products and

services which also have the potential for market replication. It is aimed at bridging the gap between

RTD and commercialisation. It helps good ideas for innovative products, services and processes that

protect the environment become fully-fledged commercial prospects, ready for use by business and

industry. The programme has a budget of approximately €200 million and is aimed primarily at SME’s.

There are five main strands to this initiative: There are five main strands to this initiative:

• Materials recycling and recycling processes; • Materials recycling and recycling processes; • Sustainable building products; • Sustainable building products; • Food and drink sector; • Food and drink sector; • Water efficiency, treatment and distribution; • Water efficiency, treatment and distribution; • Greening business. • Greening business.

The closing date for applications under the call is September 8th 2011.The closing date for applications under the call is September 8th 2011.

For more details on the CIP Eco-innovation programme you can contact : For more details on the CIP Eco-innovation programme you can contact :

mark.sweeney@enterprise-ireland.commark.sweeney@enterprise-ireland.com

Green Deal for Hothouse Start-up

DIT Hothouse start-up company, Nootrol, which operates a cloud

computing service to help corporates measure, track, collaborate,

share and exchange sustainability and carbon performance data

across their supply chain partners, has signed a deal with forecourt operator Applegreen.

Subscribers' to Nootrols service access an online self-forming network of businesses, enabling them to

manage and monitor the sustainability of their supply chains in real-time. Changes that occur deep

within the supply chain percolate throughout the entire network, providing instant visibility of the

environmental impacts of their supply chain.

(Read full article)

Enterprise Ireland Launch New Green Offer

Enterprise Ireland has introduced a new Green offer for 2011 which builds on the existing funding

provided for by GreenTech Support. There will now be three headings under which Enterprise Ireland

clients can seek support for improving their environmental performance:

Green Start – Many SMEs have little time or resources to dedicate to environmental matters. The

Environment & Green Technologies Dept. can help with site assessment for regulatory compliance. The

company can then draft an Environmental Policy Statement which details how the company’s activities

impact on the environment and how they are dealt with. The Environment &

Green Technologies Dept. can then provide a template for a simplified

Environmental Management System utilizing Ecomaps. This documented

system helps the company put practices in place to monitor environmental

issues which can arise and put action plans in place to deal with them. This

type of management system is designed to incorporate environmental issues

into company policy and can be used to ensure compliance, identify potential

wastage and improve company credibility. Companies can progress onto a

more formalized environmental standard such as ISO 14001 or EMAS from

this system.

Green Plus – This step is designed to build on Green start and help companies develop their products or

services to meet higher standards and comply with Green Procurement requirements. Companies can

apply for support to help them eco-design their products, implement environmental standards, develop

carbon management strategies or apply for a range of certified Eco-labels. Companies can obtain up to

50% support towards these projects.

Green Transform – Designed for companies who have already put systems and practices in place to

maximise efficiencies. This support provides funding for energy saving measures as part of a company

expansion.

The Green Offer is now active and is open to Enterprise Ireland clients to apply (further details are

available on www.envirocentre.ie ). Conditions on eligibility and funding will apply.

Contact: Declan White at 01-7272480, email declan.white@enterprise-ireland.com

Irish Companies and Researchers Urged to Access €3.2bn European Public-

Private Partnership Funding Initiative

Enterprise Ireland has announced that the latest round of funding from the

€3.2bn industry-focused initiatives under the EU’s €50bn Framework

Programme 7 (FP7) budget will be available to Irish businesses from mid-

July. These Public Private Partnership initiatives are aimed at those sectors

most affected by the economic downturn, namely manufacturing,

construction and automotive.

FP7 funding is a European research and innovation fund designed to incentivise businesses and

scientists to join forces to collaborate on developing technologies and products of the future. In the first

four years of the framework Programme, Ireland has secured €270m in funding, with €67m of this going

to companies. Enterprise Ireland is urging companies and researchers to collaborate and apply to the

fund. The three areas are:

1. Factories of the Future: €1.2bn has been committed for the development and innovation of new

enabling technologies for the EU manufacturing sector.

2. Energy-efficient Buildings: €1bn has been committed for methods and technologies to slash

energy consumption and CO2 emissions of new and renovated buildings.

3. Green Cars: €1bn has been committed to developing technologies for more environmentally

friendly vehicles. (Read full article)

SEAI Launch Better Energy Workplaces 2011 for Business and Public Sector

Under the Government’s Jobs Initiative, ‘Better Energy' – The National Upgrade Programme was

launched on 11th May 2011. This new programme aims to deliver a major increase in the pace, scale

and depth of sustainable energy investments in upgrading existing buildings and facilities.

Within this programme, financial support is available through the Better Energy Workplaces scheme, for

implementing a wide range of qualifying sustainable energy upgrading projects in the public,

commercial, industrial and community sectors.

Such projects may comprise individual or packaged measures aimed at achieving lasting savings in

energy usage for thermal, electrical or transport purposes. The main focus of the support will be on

achieving delivery in 2011 of sustainable energy (mainly energy efficiency) investment projects of

differing sizes and complexities.

(Read full article)

ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETS

Innovative Lighting Design Company Capturing Green Market Opportunities

Enterprise Ireland client company Candelas Ltd is an innovative, knowledge based lighting solutions

company, who provide designed and energy efficient lighting solutions to the commercial and

residential market, that deliver sustained reduction in energy use while significantly reducing life cycle

costs. The Candelas design team work closely with clients across many sectors including names such

as Eli Lilly, Baxter Healthcare, Knock Airport, Eyre Square Shopping Centre, Eden College, Abbey

Healthcare as well as hotels, restaurants and bars across the hospitality sector.

Managing Director Sean Hyland (pictured) was recently shortlisted

for Green Entrepreneur of the year at the National Green Awards.

Each client brings different challenges whether it is creating the

right ambience, reducing energy costs, reducing maintenance costs

or just ensuring legislatively compliant lighting levels. The design

team listen to the client’s needs and then prepare lighting options

for them to assess.

This customer focused and design led approach has secured over 150 new clients in the last six

months. (Read full article)

Seafood firm first in Ireland and Britain to win Carbon Trust Standard

Kenmare-based Kush Shellfish is the first seafood business in Ireland or Britain to win

the Carbon Trust Standard, an award which recognises a company’s efforts to monitor

and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Kush Shellfish has recorded a 22.8% reduction in its overall carbon footprint, independently assessed

by Carbon Tracking in Co Clare. The new certification covers three key areas: carbon footprint

measurement, carbon management and carbon reduction performance. Kush holds EU-approved

organic status and Naturland and Bio Suisse certs, among other credits. It recently launched its new

Organic Rope Mussels brand in shops across Ireland.

_______

Click on our GreenTech Support Brochure below to

access information on funding for the SME

sector

_______ Kush managing director John Harrington said: "Environmental assessors measured our performance in

terms of everything from office administration and communication practices, to how we package our

mussels. We already have a strong environmental policy in place so we were confident we’d reach the

carbon trust’s tough standards.”

(Read full article)

Solar tech firm awarded €1.2m EU grant

A Dublin clean tech company that has developed a disruptive new technology for sustainably

manufacturing solar cell devices has been awarded a €1.2m EU grant under Framework Programme 7.

The technology developed by Nines Photovoltaics could open up a massive export market. It will use

the award to further develop its manufacturing process. This new technology will reduce the cost of

production and the overall environmental impact while increasing the speed and degree of process

control required for the production of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells.

“From a cost and environmental perspective, the current solar-cell production process is unsustainable

and limits the ability for solar PV to compete with traditional energy sources. In 2010, there were

roughly 10bn solar cells produced worldwide, consuming over 25bn litres of water and other

chemicals,” said Edward Duffy, CEO, Nines Photovoltaics.

(Read full article)

SPOTLIGHT

Resource Efficiency in Ireland’s Dairy Processing Sector

Ireland has been dairy farming for 6,000 years and has been a major exporter of dairy products since

the 16th century. Today the industry, which comprises some of the world’s most successful producers

of dairy ingredients and infant nutritional products, accounts for 30% of Ireland’s agricultural output and

enjoys an annual turnover of €3.4 billion of which 74% is exported.

In the coming years, due to increasing market demand, CAP

reform, the abolition of the milk quota system and enhanced

milk production, the dairy processing sector is poised to expand

and extend its market reach. Due to its overwhelming reliance

on exports it is vital that the sector meet customer expectations

of resource efficiency and environmentally sustainability. For

this reason, Enterprise Ireland undertook a review of the sector

in order to measure performance in Ireland and benchmark this

against international best practice. The review assessed data

from 15 plants representing 94% of Ireland’s milk processing

capacity. Connacht Gold Site Manager Willie Murphy alongside report author Robert Geraghty

Ireland’s average annual domestic milk production in 2009 was

5,173,000 litres, of which 9.5% was sold as liquid milk. The remainder (4,681,000 litres) was

processed into dairy ingredients and commodity products. The 15 plants included in this study

processed 94% of this milk (4,416,662 litres) into 863,588 tonnes of product comprising yellow

products (cheese, butter, spreads - 304,228 tonnes), powder products (265,000 tonnes), whey products

(124,700 tonnes), casein (33,000 tonnes) and a range of others including chocolate crumb, lactose,

cream products, skim/whey concentrates, whey alcohol and UHT (136,630 tonnes).

In 2009, the Irish sector consumed 2,431,676 MWh of energy, 97% of which can be accounted for in

terms of processing (direct & indirect) and utilities. This energy divides into electrical (390,225 MWh;

451.9 kWh/tonne) and thermal energy (2,041,451 MWh; 2,364 kWh/tonne). 57% of electricity was

sourced from on-site generation (primarily CHP) while the remainder was sourced from the National

Power Grid. Three fuels – natural gas (69%), fuel oil (20%) and coal (8.7%) – provided most thermal

energy.

Between 2005 and 2009, the Irish dairy sector invested significantly in energy conservation including

the recovery of heat from condensate/evaporate/effluent/pasteuriser water, low energy

cleaning/disinfection systems, insulation of pipes and tanks, economisers, lighting control, variable

speed motor drives, etc. and the implementation of energy management systems. This resulted in a

20% reduction in mean annual energy use per plant (204,682 MWh to 163,771 MWh) which equates to

a mean emission reduction of 11,000 tonnes of CO2 per plant.

 (a) 

        

b) 

 Figure 1   Changes in (a) mean energy use and (b) mean water use by Ireland’s dairy processing sector between  2005 and 2009.   

 

Despite only accounting for 15% of total energy use, reductions in electrical use per tonne of product

were double that of thermal use per tonne due to the relatively low cost of metering and implementing

change. Between 2005 and 2009, mean water consumption per tonne of production fell by 28% (20.7 –

14.9 m3/tonne) representing an average annual saving of 200 million litres of water per plant (see

Figure 1).

Table 1 provides data on mean energy use and mean carbon emissions associated with each of the 5

main products from Ireland’s dairy processing sector – butter, cheese, milk powders, whey powders and

casein. Data from Irish dairy processors in 2009 compared favourably with industry benchmarks for the

UK, USA, Australia, Holland, Scandanavia and with European BAT guidelines. The industry continues to

explore ways to improve resource efficiency and to substitute fossil fuels with renewable alternatives,

with a view to safeguarding Ireland’s position as one of the most sustainable locations in the world for

dairy processing.

 

Product   Energy Use (kWh/tonne) 

Carbon Emission (kgCO2/tonne) 

Butter  363  139 Cheese  814  280 Milk Powders 

4012  875 

Whey Powders 

4613  1337 

Casein  6803  2067 

Table 1. The mean energy use (kWh/tonne) and mean carbon emissions (kgCO2/tonne) for each of the 5 main product outputs from Irish dairy processing in 2009

 Figure 2 provides a breakdown of electrical and thermal use in the production of each of the main

outputs of Irish dairy processing.

 (a)  (b) 

 Figure 2  Breakdown of (a) mean electrical and (b) mean thermal energies used in the production of butter, cheeses, milk powders, SMP, whey powders and casein. Energy is measured in kWh/tonne of each product. In 2009, the 15 plants representing 94% of Ireland’s dairy processing sector generated 469,471 tonnes

of CO2 (tCO2) or 543.6 kgCO2/tonne of product. This can be allocated to electrical (169,104 tCO2; 196

kgCO2/tonne) and thermal (300,369 tCO2; 348 kgCO2/tonne).

This averages out at 31,298 tonnes of CO2 per plant although the actual range was 8,000 – 88,000

tonnes of CO2, depending on the product range in each plant. Energy consumption per tonne, and

corresponding CO2 emissions per tonne depended on the relative proportion of yellow to powder

products. Yellow products such as butter, cheese & dairy spreads have significantly lower energy

intensity than powder products such as milk/whey powders and casein (see Table 1).

Plants which have access to on-site CHP-generated electricity and steam (i.e. 7 of 15) generated, on

average, 569 kgCO2/tonne of product compared with 724 kgCO2/tonne of product for dairy plants which

generate steam on site using standard boilers and which source electricity from Ireland’s power

generation grid (0.553 kgCO2/kWh). The difference is more pronounced in CO2 emissions associated

with thermal use than with electrical use.

This independent study indicates that the sustainability performance of the Irish dairy processing sector

compares favourably with international competitors. It also clarifies where the energy is used in

production and ancillary processes such as utilities, and how this is dependent on the product/process

mix in the individual plants. It is expected that this information will identify those plants with superior

performance, encourage those with scope for improvement and that all will use the data as a

benchmark against which future improvements can be measured. Please reply with

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UPCOMING EVENTS/SEMINARS

28 Aug 2011 International IWA-Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion of Solid

Waste and EnergyVenue: Vienna University of Technology, (TU-Wien), Vienna, Austria 31 Aug 2011 Irish Transport Research Network Annual Conference 2011Venue: University College Cork, Cork, Ireland The theme of this year’s conference will be ‘Transport and Energy’. 5 Sep 2011 9th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference 2011 Venue: University of Southampton, Southampton, UK EWTEC provides attendees with a perfect forum for knowledge transfer and debate at the cutting edge of marine renewable energy technology. 13 Sep 2011 Recycling & Waste Management (RWM) ExhibitionVenue: NEC Birmingham, UK The RWM Recycling & Waste Management Exhibition brings together the leading suppliers in the areas of waste recovery and recycling. 15 Sep 2011 Environment Ireland 2011Venue: Croke Park, Dublin Environment Ireland is Ireland’s largest conference on environmental policy and management.