Eco Evolution Blog

The Society of Mills and Millers of Ireland was launched in 2001 to encourage and assist in the preservation and appreciation of mills as part of our industrial, architectural and landscape heritage. There are hundreds of mills and mill sites spread across the country and while many are beautifully refurbished or put to good use, there are also many others which could be restored or renovated while preserving their traditional context. The society aims to promote interest and awareness in this aspect of Ireland’s industrial heritage by building up knowledge and expertise in areas such as law, architecture, renewable energy and manufacturing and making information available through publications, lectures and events.

Ballyminane Traditional Water Mill., BAllindaggin, Enniscorthy

The Mills and Millers of Ireland Summer Event 2016 will take place on June 25th and this year the society will visit the Mills of Enniscorthy and environs.

Meet from 10.30am Holywell House, Enniscorthy, County Wexford

Directions: take New Ross road from Enniscorthy. Within 60km zone, pass former Davis Mill on left & take next left. The entrance to Holywell House is an immediate sharp left  turn.

Bessmount Watermill & Bio-energy centre

11.00am         Registration, Coffee/Tea

11:30am         Visit to Ballyminane Mill, home of Uncle Aidan’s Stoneground flour

12.30am         Bessmount Watermill & Bio-energy centre and presentation by

                       Dr Michael Snoek:  A photographic history of Mills on the River Urrin

1.30-2.30pm  Lunch at Holywell House

3pm                Visit to Kilcarbery Mill

Fee for the day including refreshments and lunch: €25 per person.

Entrance into Kilcarbery Mill

To Book:  Choose option A or B

(A) Please download and complete the booking form here and return with your payment to: Honorary Treasurer Mr Niall Griffin, Ballindud Mill Cottage, Waterford. Cheques made payable to MMOI

or
(B) Pay for the event using the PayPal secure online payment option button. Please select the number of places from the drop down menu.

Telephone enquiries: S. Bourke 087 9699387

In Budget 2012 the Winter Fuel allowance payment period was cut from 32 weeks to 26 weeks. This equates to a cut of €20 a week for 6 weeks – or €120. The fuel allowance is currently paid to people over 66 and on low incomes. With the decrease in fuel allowance and the increase in fuel prices more and more home owners are finding it difficult to afford to heat their homes.

Heat Loss in a typical home

The Better Energy Warmer Homes scheme (BEWH), administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), funds energy efficiency improvements in the homes of the elderly and vulnerable, making the homes more comfortable, healthier and more cost effective to run.  The scheme is available to non-Local Authority owner occupied homes constructed before 2002. The owner of the property has also to be in receipt of one of the
following:

• Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme
• Job Seekers allowance for over six months and with children under 7 years of age
• Family income support

Landlords can avail of grants from Better Energy Homes if they have tenants in, or at risk of, energy poverty.

Homes are surveyed to see what energy efficiency measures are needed and then the appropriate steps are taken to make the home more energy efficient. The service is provided at no cost to the household and the measures currently available under the scheme include attic insulation, cavity wall insulation, draught proofing of doors and windows, installation of lagging jackets and low energy light bulbs and also provides energy advice to the householders.

Warm project – Courtesy of Wexford Local Development

The services are provided by a panel of SEAI appointed non-profit community based Organisations, Local Development Companies and a panel of SEAI appointed private contractors. The Community Based Organisations or Contractor installers are assigned to a household depending on their geographic location. Energy efficient measures are delivered to the highest quality assurance standards. Inspections are carried out on a sample of homes completed to ensure the standards are maintained.

To apply contact the Better Energy Warmer Homes helpdesk on 1800 250 204 or email warmerhomes@seai.ie

Wexford Local Development

Alternatively if you live in Wexford you can contact Wexford Local Development as they operate this scheme under the banner of the Warm Project. Contact details and application form can be found here. Since the inception of this project they’ve made Winters warmer for well over 2,500 households. A study some years ago found many people, particularly elderly, suffered health problems due to  draughty and damp houses. The Warm Project addresses this issue. If you qualify for the fuel allowance, own your own home and it was built before 2002, you qualify for WLD’s retrofitting scheme.

With the weather turning colder we would urge everyone to keep an eye on their elderly or vulnerable neighbours and if you think they qualify for this scheme why not help them to take the steps necessary to have a warmer home this Winter.

Three Evance R9000 5kW wind turbines and a substantial battery backup system have been installed at the 500-year-old Kirkstone Pass Inn in the Lake District National Park by microgeneration experts Evance. The Inn is believed to be linked to an ancient 15th Century monastery, records for this building date back to 1496AD.

The Kirkstone Pass Inn. Photo by David Hall.

The Inn being off-Grid was in its ancient past candle lit with open fires. It had relied in modern times entirely on expensive  diesel generators for all electrical power resulting in diesel bills last year totalling some £25,000. With the Evance small wind turbines the owner can now take advantage of the Inn’s remote location at the picturesque summit of the Cumbrian Kirkstone Pass and harness the power of the wind.

Looking back to the Kirkstone Pass Inn. Photo by David Hall.

Owner John Jennings said “We simply had to look at alternative power sources or face inevitable closure. Although we are in a remote location, we wanted a solution appropriate for use within a National Park and one that would let us generate electricity in a more environmentally-friendly way. Using the energy generated by Evance’s turbines we are committed to cutting our diesel bills by at least 75%. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that the majority of visitors haven’t even noticed the turbines until they have been pointed out! New green technology powering an iconic historic inn is proving to be an interesting talking point at the bar.

Three Evance R9000 5kW windturbines installed at Kirkstone Pass Inn

Diesel generators produce a lot of carbon waste, as well as being noisy, so generating power using the turbines will dramatically reduce the use of diesel. The turbines alone will reduce the Inns’ CO₂ emissions by over 22 tonnes per  year supporting a low-carbon Lake District.

Kevin Parslow, CEO of Evance Wind Turbines said “We’re delighted that the Inn, like so many other remote rural businesses and homes chose the R9000 small wind turbines to deliver a clear financial and environmental improvement on their existing energy generating systems. It’s good to know that this historic inn will be there for visitors in the years to come.”

The Kirkstone Pass Inn for the first time in it’s 500+ year  history has Power Without Pollution!

Note: Eco Evolution are resellers and installers of the Evance 5kW R9000 windturbine in Ireland.