Factory uses own turbines to reduce fuel bills

A CO Cork-based window manufacturing plant, which has installed its own electricity turbines, is to be the focus of a seminar on how to cut rapidly rising fuel costs.

Munster Joinery installed two 2MW turbines last year that now supply up to 30 per cent of the plant’s energy needs – with 100 per cent finance provided by turbine supplier Wind Energy Direct.

Under a “back office” financing scheme, Munster Joinery will buy electricity from the turbines from Wind Energy Direct, reducing its exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices and making savings in excess of €1 million over the next five years.

Wind Energy Direct, which described the project as “a hedge against rising in fuel bills”, said it had another 50 such schemes for large users of energy in the pipeline.

The project is one of a number of such “smarter energy” schemes that are also being promoted by electricity giant Siemens and the Department of Energy.

The Energy Show opens in Dublin’s RDS today.

In tandem with industry moves, Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan is proposing to introduce an “obligation” on energy suppliers such as the ESB, Airtricity and an Bord Gáis to install and fund energy-saving measures such as extra insulation.

The ESB currently offers a free energy audit to consumers and will advise on where wastage may be eliminated, but the Minister wants energy suppliers to go further and offer to make finance schemes available, which would be paid back incrementally through consumers’ savings on power bills.