Bord Gáis Energy partners with EnergyCloud Ireland to combat fuel poverty and reduce energy waste
21 March, 2024
- Participating households are fitted with EnergyCloud enabled smart technology, designed to receive diverted, surplus renewable energy
- Bord Gáis Energy collaboration with EnergyCloud sees renewable energy delivered to customers’ homes across the country experiencing fuel poverty
Bord Gáis Energy has announced an exciting new partnership with EnergyCloud Ireland aimed at tackling fuel poverty across Ireland and reducing energy waste. EnergyCloud Ireland is a social enterprise company that works with utilities and wind energy producers to divert unused renewable energy to Irish homes experiencing fuel poverty. Bord Gáis Energy’s latest collaboration underscores our commitment to fostering sustainability and delivering a tangible benefit to those in need.
The Bord Gáis Energy partnership with EnergyCloud Ireland enables surplus renewable electricity generated during off-peak hours to be provided as top-ups to households in need. This surplus energy, which would otherwise go to waste, is now being harnessed to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those facing fuel poverty. Families will receive a free tank of hot water on nights with surplus renewable energy.
In the first 10 months of 2023, 724 GWh of wind energy was wasted in Ireland according to EirGrid. Meanwhile, fuel poverty remains a pressing issue affecting families in Ireland. An ESRI report from 2022, ‘Energy poverty and deprivation in Ireland’, highlighted that over 550,000 households were in energy poverty. Through this exciting new collaboration with EnergyCloud, Bord Gáis Energy directly supports customers in need across Ireland with energy top ups.
Participating households are equipped with EnergyCloud enabled smart technology which enables residents to receive credited electricity directly on their utility bills. Currently, households benefiting from this initiative include numerous Clúid Housing residential developments across Ireland, with the number of participating homes to expand significantly over the next 12 months.
Commenting on this initiative, Susan Whyte, Director of Customer Operations at Bord Gáis Energy, stated, "At Bord Gáis Energy, we are deeply committed to making a positive difference in the lives of our customers and the communities we operate in. Through our partnership with EnergyCloud, we are proud to bring this innovative solution to combat fuel poverty and promote sustainability across Ireland. Together, we're energising a fairer, greener future for all."
Cathal Lee, co-founder of EnergyCloud, said “EnergyCloud Ireland is delighted to partner with Bord Gáis Energy to further our dual quest to help those in fuel poverty and increase the use of sustainable, renewable energy. Through partnerships with the renewable energy sector and a major utility provider like Bord Gáis Energy, we can use smart technology to make a genuine difference to the lives of those who live in consistent fuel poverty across Ireland. We are already helping to deliver renewable energy top ups to homes all across in Ireland and this new partnership helps expand that number greatly in a short space of time.”
Laura McDonnell, Head of Communications and Policy at Clúid Housing, said “For our residents this is great news. This partnership approach from companies such as Bord Gáis Energy is what makes EnergyCloud such an important initiative for our residents. We know from research by the Irish Council for Social Housing that for approved housing body residents, only 57% of residents surveyed stated they find it affordable to comfortably heat their homes. This compares to 78% in 2020, demonstrating the impact of the cost of living crisis on residents. EnergyCloud is a really important project for us as our residents tell us directly about the benefit they get from free tanks of hot water on nights when there is surplus renewable energy.”
