Renewable rewards revealed in run up to Smart Energy Conference

Northern Ireland’s renewable energy body, RenewableNI, has begun the countdown to its flagship Smart Energy conference with a new industry report and an industry event at Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

Smart Energy, the premier Northern Ireland renewable energy event, brings together 300 people from policy makers, elected representatives, developers, investors, and industry experts.

Aimed at educating, engaging and inspiring debate in the renewable energy sector, RenewableNI ensured the conversation was focused on the benefits renewable electricity is bringing to Northern Ireland with the launch of a new report in September 2024.

Authored by Baringa, Renewable Rewards has been welcomed by the industry for providing clear figures on the consumer and environmental benefits of renewable electricity.

Renewable Rewards: How you save from the switch to renewable electricity showed achieving the 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 target will unlock an additional saving of
£110 million per year.

The report revealed that between 2020 and 2023 people in Northern Ireland saved an average of £160 off their bills. The report also found the transition to renewables has avoided more than 13 million tonnes of CO2, equal to taking a quarter of all cars off Northern Ireland roads today.

RenewableNI delivered a copy of Renewable Rewards to every MLA when they hosted an offshore wind event in Stormont’s Long Gallery at the end of September 2024.

RenewableNI brought developers to the home of the Northern Ireland Assembly to highlight the benefits of building the region’s offshore wind industry.

Speakers at the event, attended by industry and MLAs, included The Crown Estate, Department for the Economy, ESB, North Channel Wind, Simply Blue and SSE Renewables. The event was sponsored by Alliance Party’s Danny Donnelly MLA and opened by Peter McReynolds MLA.

The Stormont trip coincided with the Northern Ireland Assembly’s infrastructure and economy committees meetings – members of which will be part of a Question Time panel at Smart Energy, chaired by BBC political correspondent Jayne McCormack.

The afternoon panel of MLAs will follow the Northern Ireland Economy Minister Conor Murphy MLA, who is the conference’s keynote speaker.

Other highlights at Smart Energy include a Building a Renewable Ready System session where the panel of experts from industry, NIE Networks and, SONI discuss dispatch down concerns and considere solutions.

Smart Energy, which has grown every year, wraps with an evening drinks reception. The extended, informal networking has proved the catalyst for Northern Ireland projects and new business.

For more information, please visit www.RenewableNI.com/SmartEnergy