Energy management

Energy management within Inland Fisheries Ireland

We take a structured approach to managing our use of energy, as we believe that makes the most environmental and financial sense. The importance of mapping and understanding this to make sure our energy efficiency priority projects are based on sound data (evidence-based decision making) and tailored to our needs cannot be overemphasised.

We understand that energy is only used more efficiently if the conditions to enable that are first created. Based on best practice and guidance from many programmes such as the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 50001 energy management standard, the Irish Standard IS 399 (Energy Efficient Design Management) and the Sustainable Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Energy MAP training programme, we practice the following five basic structured energy management steps:

1. Commit 

We signed-up to a partnership agreement with SEAI in 2017, appointing a key senior manager (Head of Finance and Energy Performance Officer) to provide leadership and accountability in the area of energy management. He has allocated significant resourcing (empowered our staff to act via programme management restructuring and the formation of a national Green Teams network in addition to appointment of local energy champions).

2. Identify

We have worked to identify actions and projects based on our energy performance data using recommendations from both internal and external energy audits – SEAI and third-party contractors have assisted.

3. Plan

We have received strategic planning assistance through our partnership agreement with SEAI and are building energy management capacity through integration of facilities management, finance and human resource functions in our energy management planning. We set annual energy saving targets and achieved the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan target for the public sector to improve our energy efficiency by 33% over 2009 baselines by the end of 2020.

4. Action

We have shown significant ambition and intent through positive action and project implementation – availing ourselves of project design, development and supervision support and committed significant time and resources to a suite of energy related projects from design through to implementation and monitoring.

5. Review

We are thoroughly committed to an evidence-based energy management programme. We are measuring energy improvement results using in-house digital systems in addition to the SEAI’s energy portal monthly returns. Regular review is undertaken with a view to continually improving our energy performance.

Our Energy Performance Officer (EPO)

Inland Fisheries Ireland has appointed an energy performance officer with decision making powers with regard to facilities management, corporate budgets and procurement, along with responsibility for corporate and financial reporting, so that the appointee can:

• Lead the further development of our Energy Management Plan as an integral part of our Business Planning and Performance Management processes.
• Drive the implementation of the actions and projects agreed under our Energy Management Plan.
• Assign clear responsibility for implementation of our Energy Management Plan and ensure staff have the necessary training and support to carry out these tasks.
• Ensure the setting of our annual energy saving targets.
• Ensure the timeliness and quality of our annual data reports to the SEAI Public Sector Energy Performance Monitoring & Reporting System.
• Ensure timely provision of our report for the Annual Memorandum to Government on the implementation of this Strategy.
• Include these tasks as part of annual goal setting under PMDS.

Our energy efficiency and reduction in CO2 emissions

Our carbon footprint relates both to direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Direct GHGs are generated from sources that are owned or controlled by us – for example these would include emissions from combustion engines in transport and natural gas fired boilers in our properties. Indirect GHG emissions occur as a result of the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the organisation (i.e. emissions due to electricity generation) and other Scope 3 emissions.

To read more about our energy mix, click on the links below: