The evidence is clear. Climate change is happening. We need to pick up the pace and take further action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions before it’s too late. In January this year, the EPA launched Ireland's Climate Change Assessment report (ICCA). The report provides a comprehensive assessment of our understanding of climate change in Ireland and our response to this global crisis - the first report of its kind for Ireland's climate. The EPA also published a second report on ‘Climate in t...
Apr 11, 2024•35 min•Season 5Ep. 23
In this episode of 180 Degrees we zoom in on the growing number of ‘Sustainable Energy Community' groups across the country, who are working towards reducing their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and making their communities more sustainable. 180 Degrees Season 5 host Sinead Ryan is joined in the studio with Ruth Buggie of SEAI, Ger O'Halloran of the 'Connecting Cabra' Sustainable Energy Committee and Padraig Fallon, of the GAA Green Club initiative.
Apr 04, 2024•5 min•Season 5Ep. 22
In recent years, we are seeing more community groups coming together to take climate action in their local areas. Tackling everything from recycling and biodiversity, to renewable energy projects, ambitious and important climate work is happening locally, and forming the backbone of what it means to be part of an Irish community. In this episode of 180 Degrees we will zoom in on the growing number of ‘Sustainable Energy Community' groups across the country, who are working towards reducing their...
Mar 28, 2024•36 min•Season 5Ep. 21
In this mini-episode, we enter the realm of Smart Grids and Smart Networks: a technological landscape where the smart grid, an advanced electricity network, facilitates seamless communication between electricity generators and users. Picture this: wind turbines engaging in a sophisticated dialogue with everyday appliances, turning your home into a synchronized hub of energy efficiency. Fergus Sharkey of SEAI returns and is joined by Chloe Kinsella of Cenergise to take us through the energy techn...
Mar 21, 2024•5 min•Season 5Ep. 20
We've heard of ‘smart products’ for our homes and the concept of the ‘Internet of Things’ - where our home appliances and apps can communicate to find the right product or play the ideal music in our living rooms – but are we soon going to have the same options for our home energy use? Enter the realm of Smart Grids and Smart Networks: a technological landscape where the smart grid, an advanced electricity network, facilitates seamless communication between electricity generators and users. This...
Mar 14, 2024•32 min•Season 5Ep. 19
In this mini-episode, Fergus Sharkey of SEAI and Tina Dowling, CEO at 'The Watershed' sport and leisure centre in Kilkenny, answer questions on how SEAI is supporting businesses to decarbonise and save on energy costs and what choices Tina made to start the The Watershed's energy journey.
Mar 07, 2024•8 min•Season 5Ep. 18
In this episode we discuss how SEAI is supporting businesses to decarbonise and save on energy costs with Fergus Sharkey of SEAI and Tina Dowling, CEO at the Watershed, home of sport and Leisure in Kilkenny. The Watershed, who provide a host of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities and swimming, were finalists in the SME category at the SEAI Energy Awards. Tina discusses how they got started on their energy journey and more importantly, why.
Feb 29, 2024•30 min•Season 5Ep. 17
Data centres are adding more demand onto Ireland’s electrical grid, but can our grid keep up with the scale of the demand, or do we need to add more capacity? In this mini-episode we discuss how increased demand on our data centres impacts Ireland's climate targets. Can we reach our 2030 goals while increasing capacity, and what does that mean for Ireland’s energy future.
Feb 22, 2024•5 min•Season 5Ep. 16
Saving to the ‘cloud’ frees up storage on our devices, but despite the name, our data doesn’t disappear into the sky, it’s stored in a data centre. Data centres are adding more demand onto Ireland’s electrical grid, but can our grid keep up with the scale of the demand, or do we need to add more capacity? In this episode we discuss how increased demand on our data centres impacts our Climate Action plan. Can we reach our 2030 goals while increasing capacity, and what does that mean for Ireland’s...
Feb 15, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 15
District Heating currently delivers 9% of Europe's total heating demands. So how does it work and how can it be developed in Ireland? In this mini-episode we answer your questions on District Heating.
Feb 08, 2024•3 min•Season 5Ep. 14
One of the oldest methods of heating buildings, District Heating has played a key role in making cities like Denmark and Copenhagen some of the most sustainable in the world, while also lowering costs for customers. District heating currently delivers 9% of Europe's total heating demands. So how does it work and how can it be developed in Ireland? In this episode we talk about the plans to develop District Heating projects across Ireland’s towns and cities while also looking at some examples of ...
Feb 01, 2024•30 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Renewable energy projects are key to helping Ireland reach net-zero. In this episode, we explore how we can make the most of our natural resources, like wind, sea and sun to create our own energy in Ireland. Discover how we can reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and learn about the government's investments in this critical transition.
Jan 25, 2024•8 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Renewable energy projects are key to helping Ireland reach net-zero. In this episode, we explore how we can make the most of our natural resources, like wind, sea and sun to create our own energy in Ireland. Discover how we can reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and learn about the government's investments in this critical transition. Join the discussion on how we can rally citizens, communities, and industry to lead the way on the path to achieving a net-zero future. SEAI’s Director...
Jan 18, 2024•28 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Transport in Ireland - a conversation for the ages! In this mini-episode, join Sinead Ryan and Fergus Sharkey of SEAI who together delve deep into the data surrounding our transportation habits and explore the solutions that will propel us toward a more sustainable, public and zero-carbon transportation system.
Jan 11, 2024•7 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Transport in Ireland - a conversation for the ages! It’s not just about our cars anymore; it’s about reimagining how we utilise trams, trains, buses and even bicycles on our country’s roads. We simply cannot afford to be as car dependent anymore. To reshape our transportation landscape, reduce emissions and tackle traffic problems, we need reliable and accessible public transport options. In this episode, we delve deep into the data surrounding our transportation habits. We unpack the design ele...
Jan 04, 2024•40 min•Season 5Ep. 9
The latest Energy in Ireland report shows that, our CO2 emissions are going up, again! SEAI's Director of Research and Policy Insights Margie McCarthy and Dr. Lee Carroll, Programme Manager for SEAI's Energy Statistics team, chat about Ireland’s energy and carbon emissions trends with Sinead Ryan. You can learn more about Energy in Ireland by visiting our website.
Jan 03, 2024•7 min•Season 5Ep. 8
The annual Energy in Ireland report profiles trends in the supply and demand of energy and energy related CO2 emissions in 2022 and 2023. Around 45% of Ireland’s energy use is for direct personal consumption, primarily in our homes and in our cars. So, it is absolutely essential that we all become more energy efficient to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions; to insulate ourselves from high energy prices; and to reduce the chance of outages or fuel shortages. We also need systemic change, beyond ...
Dec 21, 2023•27 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Sinead Ryan and Fergus Sharkey of SEAI answer your Electric Vehicle (EV) questions in this third mini-episode of 180 Degrees. This mini-episode covers: 🚗 SEAI's grant options for buying an EV 🚗 The different types of EVs 🚗 Ireland's second-hand EV market and more! To listen back to the full episode on EVs, visit www.seai.ie/podcast or download from wherever you get your podcasts....
Dec 14, 2023•6 min•Season 5Ep. 6
For something so silent, Electric Vehicles sure are making a lot of noise on the car market. EVs, are heralded as the successor to fossil-fuel based internal combustion engine cars (ICEs) with one in five new passenger vehicles sold in Ireland last year being electric. In this episode, we dig deep and get down to the real truths about EVs– how affordable are they in Ireland right now? What options do you have when it comes to owning or leasing an EV? What EV legislation is coming down the road i...
Dec 07, 2023•33 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Sinead Ryan and Brian McIntyre answer your top questions on all things Heat Pumps, in under 5 minutes! This 180 Degrees Podcast mini-episode covers the need-to-know on how to check if your home is 'Heat Pump Ready', the space required for a Heat Pump to be installed, the different types of Heat Pumps available and more. To listen back to the full episode and gain more information on Heat Pumps, visit www.seai.ie/podcast or download from wherever you get your podcasts....
Nov 30, 2023•4 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Sinead Ryan and Brian McIntyre return for episode two of our latest Podcast season, talking all things Heat Pumps – why they’re a good renewable heat source, how they work, the grants you can receive to purchase one and more. Later in the episode, Sinead is joined by homeowner Pamela Potterton who talks about her own experience of having a heat pump installed in her home and the results.
Nov 23, 2023•28 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Join Journalist Sinead Ryan for practical advice on reducing your energy bills, saving money and adopting a more energy-efficient lifestyle in Season 5 of the 180 Degrees Podcast. Sinead will chat to expert guests to address some of the key questions around Ireland’s energy revolution, what renewable technologies are coming into our homes to help improve our lives and our communities and how we can prepare for a fossil free future.
Nov 22, 2023•36 sec
Sinead Ryan continues our latest podcast season with this 5-minute mini-episode dedicated to answering your top questions on how to reduce your energy use at home. ‘Your Questions Answered’ follows on from the full-length first episode of ‘Cut Money Stress and Home-Assess! ’, where Sinead chats to Brian McIntyre from SEAI about ways to cut back on energy use in your home, saving you both money and carbon emissions. Sinead is also joined by Architect Andre Negri who has spent the last 13 years tr...
Nov 16, 2023•5 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Sinead Ryan kicks off our latest Podcast season, chatting with Brian McIntyre from SEAI about ways to reduce your energy use in your home, saving you both money and carbon emissions. They cover the basics, such as where to start, understanding your energy use, getting your home assessed and sharing the no-cost, low-cost solutions in addition to bigger investment options. Later in the episode, Sinead is joined by Architect Andre Negri who has spent the last 13 years transforming old homes into lu...
Nov 09, 2023•32 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Dr. Diarmuid Torney is an associate professor in the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University. His research focuses on climate change politics, policy, and governance. He is co-director of the DCU Centre for Climate and Society and programme chair of DCU’s MSc in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society . In this episode, he speaks with Jim Scheer on Ireland's climate policy, how Ireland ranks internationally for its climate legislation and citizens engaging with their political l...
Nov 06, 2023•55 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Dr Erlijn van Genuchten is an author, educator and science communicator working in the field of sustainable living, who's mission is to make scientific research on nature and sustainability available to the broad public, to help people take action for the climate. She is part of the UN ECE Task Force on Digitalization in Energy, and part of the advisory committee for the UN Environmental Program West Asia Frontiers Report. In this episode of 180 Degrees, Dr van Genuchten has a conversation with ...
Oct 20, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Prof. Dr. Claire Dupont is a research professor at Ghent University, in Belgium, specialising in research on policy, politics and governance of the transformation to sustainability and climate neutrality in Europe. In this episode of 180 Degrees, Professor Dupont speaks with Jim Scheer on the need for communicating the palpable ideas of a just Climate Transition to people to help bring it into reality.
Aug 31, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Dr. Val Cummins , Operations and Projects Director at Simply Blue Energy Ireland and recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Energy Award at the SEAI Energy Awards 2022 , speaks with Fergus Sharkey of the SEAI on her academic background and career, her work in floating offshore wind infrastructure and researching periwinkles!
Dec 23, 2022•36 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Dr. Lorna Gold, Environmental Activist and Author talks to host Jim Scheer about mobilising faith communities and how we can build a worldwide movement to scale up our climate action.
Sep 21, 2022•43 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Professor John Sweeney, Emeritus Professor of Geography at the NUI Maynooth joins host Jim Scheer to discuss the stark reality of the latest climate science, Ireland’s energy and climate targets, and the chances of meeting them by 2030.
Sep 14, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 5
