EnergyCloud, a not-for-profit social enterprise, has teamed up with Electric Ireland to address energy poverty by harnessing surplus renewable energy. The partnership aims to assist energy-poor households by equipping them with EnergyCloud-enabled smart technology that utilizes excess renewable energy to heat immersion tanks.
Under the pilot scheme, Electric Ireland customers who are struggling with energy costs will benefit from an average annual bill saving of over €100. The initial rollout is focused on local authorities and approved housing bodies across Ireland, with plans to significantly expand the number of participating homes over the next 12 months.
EnergyCloud has already installed more than 400 smart immersion controllers nationwide and intends to install several thousand more within the next 12 to 18 months. The initiative targets residents in energy poverty, working with local partners to identify eligible households. The smart immersion controllers can be accessed remotely by EnergyCloud to heat water tanks during periods of low electricity demand and high wind turbine output, thereby making use of renewable energy that would otherwise go unused.
Pat Fenlon, Executive Director of Electric Ireland, emphasized the significance of the initiative: “Energy poverty is a serious challenge for hundreds of thousands of people in Ireland. It is a major complex issue that requires a range of solutions including new innovative approaches and technologies. Our new partnership with EnergyCloud Ireland demonstrates a targeted approach which seeks to connect energy poor homes to renewable electricity that would otherwise go unused.”
The initiative aims to alleviate the burden of energy poverty, a pressing issue affecting over 550,000 households in Ireland, with up to 43% of households at risk of energy poverty, according to a report from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
Alan Wyley, CEO of EnergyCloud, highlighted the transformative impact of the partnership: “This is a great example of how technology can deliver a targeted use of renewable energy to help those customers who are struggling with their energy costs. This partnership is truly transformative for EnergyCloud, but more importantly for the many more people in energy poverty that we can now help with the support of Electric Ireland.”
The collaboration reflects a growing need for innovative and collaborative solutions to address energy poverty and support vulnerable communities in Ireland.
