SSE Airtricity awards more than €120,000 to community groups in County Cavan

SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest renewable energy generator, has presented over €127,000 to community projects around its Bindoo and Gartnaneane wind farms in Co. Cavan and the Mullananalt Wind Farm in Co. Monaghan. The presentation took place at the Kill Community Hall, Tullyvin, Co. Cavan on Tuesday, the 14^th July, 2014.

This latest presentation brings the company’s overall contribution to local projects in Cavan to more than €860,000. This year, a total of 27 community groups will benefit from the funding, including schools, sports clubs and community buildings.

SSE Airtricity’s Cavan Monaghan wind farms have a total capacity of 70MW and produce enough green energy to power over 30,000 homes in the region. Through its Community Fund Programme, SSE Airtricity makes financial contributions to the communities closest to its wind farms.

Laragh National School in Laragh is putting their funding towards a new LP gas heating system for the school. Berni Power, Principal at Laragh National Schools, said: “The funding provided from the SSE Airtricity Community Fund will enable us to install a highly efficient new heating system in the school. We hope that this will help us reduce our heating bills during the winter, which will be a huge help to the school and allow us to invest funding in other areas.”

The Tullyvin Community Centre, which received funding for the fourth consecutive year, will use the funds to install low energy heating and air conditioning units. Nuala McCauley, Chairperson for the Kill Community Development, said: “SSE Airtricity’s Community Fund has helped the Tullyvin Community Centre become a more energy efficient building over the last few years, with funding for building insulation, a state of the art water treatment system and an upgrade to our lighting system. This year we have been awarded funding to install low energy air conditioning and heating units for two of our meeting rooms”

Most of the community groups are putting this latest funding towards greater energy efficiency. Projects ranging from new energy efficient windows and doors at Saint Patrick’s National School, to energy efficient lighting at St. Mark’s Church in Kill.  The Lavey Community Centre are hoping to install new solar panels at the centre, while St. Bridget’s National School in Tunnyduff will be re-insulating the old school building with new dry lining.

Other initiatives include energy efficient lighting at Kill Shamrocks GFC running track and replacement windows for the old school meeting hall at Laragh Parish Church, Cootehill.

SSE Airtricity Community Development Officer, Anne Reynolds said:  “We are delighted to be able to help so many community groups in the area. It’s great to see so much of the money going towards greater energy efficiency, something we’re always promoting at SSE Airtricity. Through our Community Fund Programme, we have been able to award more than €127,000 to 27 worthy projects in the region. We remain committed to bringing positive energy to the communities near our wind farms. By helping local groups to become more energy efficient and in turn reducing their fuel costs, we can all live in a greener and more sustainable environment”.