Green machinery could save State millions in CO2 credits

THE Government could save millions of euro of taxpayers’ money by investing in energy efficient technology, it was claimed yesterday.

The business and employers’ federation IBEC said that greener machinery could go a long way to cutting carbon dioxide emissions and also ensure that Ireland paid out less in carbon credits under the Kyoto protocol.

As part of the scheme, countries which fail to meet targets, set out to cut emissions, must buy credits according to the amount of carbon which they pump into the atmosphere.

But Gerry Farrell, director of Plastics Ireland, a sector of IBEC, claimed adopting environmentally friendly machines could help the country meet 8% of its Kyoto commitments.

Mr Farrell insisted bringing in new all-electricity machines, which used less power, would be a winner on three fronts.

“The Government has an ideal opportunity to save the taxpayer very considerable amounts of money. The environmental and economic benefits would be enormous,” he said.

“Ireland is a three-way winner on this. This investment in new energy-efficient technology will assist Ireland meet its Kyoto commitments, will improve industry competitiveness and will go some way to address the future lack of generating capacity in Ireland.”

It was claimed new energy efficient electrical injection moulding machines for use in the industry could reduce Ireland’s annual electricity consumption by the equivalent of 76,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The National Climate Change Strategy has targeted a one million tonne reduction in CO2 emissions for the entire Irish industrial sector.

Mr Farrell said 8% of the target could be achieved through the introduction of the new all-electric machines in the plastics injection moulding industry.

He said this would reduce the need for the Government to buy this amount of carbon credits in the future.

Carbon credits currently trade at approximately €22 per tonne.