Cork primary school becomes first to heat premises with vegetable oil

The conversion of the boiler at St Enda's National School to HVO forms part of the school’s broader efforts to uphold its status as a green school, having received Green Flags for Litter and Waste, Energy, Water and Travel.

A Cork primary school has become the first in Ireland to successfully transition its heating system to use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) which it says will reduce emissions by up to 90%.

St Enda's National School, Kilnadur in Dunmanway, made the decision to switch from traditional oil to HVO after it was found earlier this year that its boiler was operating at just 70% efficiency.

As well as for environmental reasons, School Principal Liam Cotter said the move was motivated by cost-effectiveness, and minimal disruption.

“We are very excited to pioneer this transition to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, and we believe that the carbon emissions reductions we will achieve will lead to St Enda’s becoming a blueprint for schools across the country,” he said.

Mr Cotter said the school’s goal is to not only reduce its carbon footprint but also to educate its students about the importance of climate responsibility and empower them to make environmentally conscious choices.

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“When we discuss the transition with pupils in September, we will be using it as an opportunity to illustrate the need for each and every one of us to contribute to Ireland reducing our carbon footprint over the coming decades, and the different ways that this can be done,” he said.

The school’s management said it recognised that HVO offered it a realistic, effective and affordable alternative to other options, including the retrofitting of the building which would have caused prolonged disruption.

The conversion of the boiler at St Enda's to HVO forms part of the school’s broader efforts to uphold its status as a green school, having received Green Flags for Litter and Waste, Energy, Water and Travel.

St Enda's National School Principal Liam Cotter said the move was motivated by cost-effectiveness, and minimal disruption.

Alliance for Zero Carbon Heating (TAZCH) said biofuels such as HVO can play “a crucial role” in Ireland’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The group said that St Enda’s switch to HVO will offer further evidence as to how advanced, synthetic and renewable biofuels can accelerate Ireland’s journey towards hitting its emissions reduction targets by 2030.

TAZCH spokesperson David Blevings said the use of biofuels and new technologies have the capacity to transform Irish society and accelerate the country towards its climate objectives.

“We believe that HVO should be made a more accessible option, not just for the heating of schools and county councils as we have already seen, but also for the 700,000 households who depend on liquid fuels up and down the country,” he said.