Amazing advancement in sustainability in the Mid-West region evident during Mid-West Sustainability Week

Pictured at Shannon Chamber’s Mid-West Sustainability Week conference in Westpark Innovation Campus in Shannon (from left): Barry Gavin, conference chair; Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamber; Brian O’Kennedy, managing director, Goodbody Clearstream; and Jim Dollard, executive director, Generation & Trading, ESB. Photograph by Eamon Ward

A week in which thirty companies outlined the strides they are making in reducing their carbon footprint has been described by attendees as an amazing demonstration of the advancement the Mid-West region has made in the space of one year and a reflection of Shannon Chamber’s leadership in keeping sustainability to the fore.

Sustainability Week 2024, organised by Shannon Chamber and sponsored by ESB, took place from Wednesday 25 September to Wednesday, 2 October. It focused on four areas of sustainability, water, waste, energy and biodiversity, which have been the key pillars that that the Mid-West Sustainability Network has concentrated on since its establishment in early 2023.

Ten events, a mix of in-person and online, were delivered over the course of the week, involving presentations by ESB, Aerogen, Chemifloc Group, Ei Electronics, Uisce Eireann, Wyeth Nutrition, Southern Region Waste Planning Office, SEAI, Clean Ireland Recycling, Vitalograph, The Shannon Airport Group, Antaris Consulting, All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, Veon Forestry and Ecology, The Change We Need, The Shannon Airport Group and 20FIFTY Partners. Each event delivered quality content and takeaways for the attendees. All in-person events were held in Ei Electronics’ Centre of Excellence in Shannon, who generously open its doors to host the launch event and a number of seminars.

A day-long conference, held in Westpark Innovation Campus, brought the week to a close. This involved presentations by The Shannon Airport Group, Lilly Limerick, Element Six, Edwards Lifesciences, Heraeus Precious Metals Ltd., ESB. Shannon Foynes Port Company, SEAI and Clare County Council. The keynote address was delivered by Brian O’Kennedy, managing director, Goodbody Clearstream. The conference also included a street event, where companies showcased projects that they have undertaken to help reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Looking back on the week, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “It was an ambitious undertaking but one we are so glad to have been part of. We had amazing speakers from companies who were willing to share the initiatives they are rolling out in their efforts to attain net zero. The collaborative spirit that exists in this region was so evident and I know there will be many follow-on discussions between companies because of the week.

“The buy-in we received from our members, from our corporate sponsor ESB, and from the many other companies that rowed in behind us to deliver such a comprehensive programme, was quite remarkable. This gives us a clear message: that they see and are deriving benefits from being members of or associated with our Sustainability Network. There were so many key achievements and messages emanating from the week and the conference.,” she added.

Before citing a few examples of the commitment companies are making to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), Ms Downes welcomed feedback received on the week, which listed key takeaways from the week as: “The direction of travel is clear, despite the distractions; removing carbon means removing costs; while no single organisation can change the world, together we can transform our part of it; managing risk is crucial for your business, even if sustainability isn’t currently a top priority; sustainability ‘Literacy’ is now essential for everyone in the organisation; a robust framework is necessary to guide you—without data, measurement, and targets, progress is impossible and; it’s challenging, but the journey must begin”.

Reviewing the week and the benefits of being involved Sean Hegarty, Net Zero Transition Manager, ESB Generation & Trading said: “Shannon Chamber’s Sustainability Week and Conference provided individuals with the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of the changes being implemented by organisations as we collectively work towards a net zero future. Our sponsorship reflects ESB’s commitment as part of our Net Zero by 2040 strategy to work alongside customers and communities to provide them with the infrastructure, products and services they need to live more sustainably. While no single individual or organisation can change the world, by working together we can make a significant impact.”

Keynote speaker, Brian O’Kennedy, managing director, Goodbody Clearstream, summing up the week urged companies to change their little part of the world. “Business is like a competitive sport. Companies compete for money, customers, and employees. Focusing on key sustainability trends, such as reporting, developing a decarbonisation plan, social impact, and the ability to identify and deliver green projects, will give them a competitive edge and help to drive change. Future business lending will be linked to sustainability credentials,” he said.

Sustainability measures delivering results

With countless examples of in-company sustainability measures imparted during the week, guidance on how to introduce and implement change and the funding available to roll-out sustainability projects, examples of company attainments in their net zero journey given at the conference included:

The Shannon Airport Group is aiming to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 GHG by 51% by 2030 and to be net zero by 2050. Strides made to date include the electrification of its airport fleet; the upgrading of LED runway lighting and the upgrading of lighting in the airport car parks, business parks, the airport apron and the main terminal to LED; the installation of an energy metering system; the installation of EV charging infrastructure and the sourcing of 100% renewable energy since 2019. The Group has attained all national energy efficiency targets and has a clear road map in place to attain 2030 and 2050 targets.

While still in set-up mode, Lilly Limerick’s ambition is to provide a state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing facility that does not unnecessarily burden the environment. The pillars of the site’s sustainability roadmap include the reduction of GHG emissions, minimising waste, protecting and enhancing biodiversity, water conservation and having a sustainable supply chain. The Company aims to be carbon neutral by 2030, use 100% renewable energy, initiate full supply chain emissions, send zero waste to landfill, and have all plastic waste repurposed for beneficial use with at least 90% recycle or reused.

The team at long-time Shannon resident, Element Six, is working to eliminate natural gas (459 tonnes of CO2 per annum) in Plot 1 on its Shannon site, and fully electrify this section of the site to deliver estimated savings of 1,972, 445 kWh annually. The Shannon site is certified according to ISO50001 and by 2022 had reduced energy intensity by 20% compared to 2019. Heat pumps have replaced the usage of all oil on site. In 2022, the Company replaced its oil and electricity heating with variant refrigerant volume (VRV) in its office area delivering savings of approximately 448,000 kWh /127,984 kgCO2 per annum. Another innovation is the tracking of electricity usage for individual polishing machines using integrated electricity meters.

Edwards Lifesciences facility at the National Technological Park in Limerick was the first manufacturing building in Ireland to achieve ‘Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)’, gold certification, because the building fabric was designed to be energy efficient from the outset. This is indicative of the company’s commitment to deliver safe, healthy and environmentally responsible operations. Energy efficiency measures introduced or planned include encouraging staff to use sustainable transport to work, reducing outdoor water consumption and reducing the waste that is generated by building occupants and hauled to and disposed of in landfills. Incentives are also provided for the achievement of credits that address geographically specific environmental, social equity, and public health priorities.

Shannon-based Heraeus Precious Metals Ltd. is aiming to be net zero in Shannon by 2027 and is on well on track to achieving same. It has been using 100% green electricity since 2023 and up to 10% of its daily electricity demand in 2024 will be met by its own photovoltaics (PV). Despite enormous growth at its facility, energy consumption has only increased by 7.6%. This is due to an increased awareness company-wide of the need to reduce chemicals and water usage, improved energy consumption in production, and through building improvements. Thirty sustainability projects with a potential saving of 750,000kWh have been identified since 2022; 12 have already been delivered, with 290,000 kWh saved.

Mid-West Sustainability Week was made possible by the generous support of corporate sponsor, ESB, anchor sponsors Eli Lilly, Ei Electronics, EY, Climeaction, Element Six, and Astatine and associated sponsors, AIB, Shannon Chamber Skillnet, GreenTech Skillnet, Antaris Consulting, Mavarick, Vitalograph, Fine Grain Property, Aerogen and SEAI.

 

 

 

Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamber, pictured with keynote speakers from the morning session of the Mid-West Sustainability Conference held in Westpark Innovation Campus (from left): Sinéad Murphy, The Shannon Airport Group; Megan Staunton, Lilly Limerick; Siobhán Duffy, Element Six; Barry Gavin, conference chair; Jim Dollard, ESB Generation & Trading; Brian O’Kennedy, Goodbody Clearstream; Aoife Conway, Lilly Limerick; Ronan Keogh, Fine Grain Property; Diarmuid Collins, Edwards Lifesciences; and Douglas Joy, Heraeus Precious Metals Ltd. Photograph by Eamon Ward

 

 

 

 

Eoin Gavin, president, Shannon Chamber, pictured with the presenters in the afternoon session of the Mid-West Sustainability conference (front seated): Sheila Downes, Clare County Council and Sean Hegarty, ESB Generation & Trading. Back (l-r): Brian O’Kennedy, Goodbody Clearstream (keynote speaker); Pat Keating, Shannon Foynes Port Company; Ronan Keogh, Fine Grain Property; Fergus Sharkey, SEAI; and Barry Gavin, conference chair. Photograph by Eamon Ward