Local communities play a “unique and powerful role” in driving sustainable energy actions, the chief executive of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), William Walsh, has said.
Walsh was commenting as the SEAI held a national gathering to mark ten years of its Sustainable Energy Communities (SEC) programme. The event, which was held in Portlaoise, celebrated the progress made by more than 1,000 SECs across Ireland.
‘Inspiring communities’
“All across Ireland, we are seeing inspiring communities come together to play their part in reducing emissions and supporting our national journey to net zero,” Wash commented.
“Climate action must happen at every level—through Government policy, local initiatives, and individual choices. Communities have a unique and powerful role in encouraging positive action, engaging their community, and supporting the shift to more sustainable ways of heating our homes, travelling, and using energy.”
With Ireland’s Climate Action Plan setting a target of growing the network to 1,500 Sustainable Energy Communities by 2030, Walsh added that the “grassroots momentum” by communities on the ground is “essential to our transition to a cleaner, more secure energy future”.
National gathering
The SEAI Sustainable Energy Communities National Gathering 2025: Celebrating 10 Years of Local Energy Action event featured contributions from a range of stakeholders, including the Climate Change Advisory Council, community leaders, and SEAI representatives.
Marie Donnelly, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, told the event that SECs have “huge potential to not just address climate goals, but to bring people together as we transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy. The work done on the ground and the stories of change are what will drive Ireland forward towards a healthier and more sustainable future.”
SEAI’s SEC programme empowers communities to take control of their energy use by providing access to funding, technical advice, and a framework to guide local energy actions. Among the programme’s core goals are efforts to improve energy efficiency, increased use of renewable energy, and the rollout of smart energy solutions.
Several projects were acknowledged over the weekend, including the Aran Islands Energy Co-op, which was among the first SECs to complete an Energy Master Plan.
Other SECs to be recognised included Glinsk SEC in Galway, Cabra SEC in Dublin, West Kerry Dairy Farmers’ SEC, and SECs in Wexford Town, Tipperary Town, Balbriggan, and Kilcock.
Pictured are SEC representatives Avril Ní Shearcaigh, Fionnuala Corcoran, Maura Allen, Michael Begley, Pio Byrnes, Ger O’Halloran, Dinny Galvin, Sarah Zimmermann, and Anne O’Reilly, all of whom spoke at the event. Read more here.
