Could the water in our rivers, lakes and canals help heat our buildings? That is the question Ballyhoura Development will bring to the European stage this October through ‘Water is the New Solar: Aquathermal Energy for Life’.
Seán Sweeney, Development Officer with Ballyhoura Development, will deliver the EURegionsTalk on Tuesday next, 13 October, as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels.
The 30-minute talk will take place in the Jacques Delors Building, home of the European Committee of the Regions, at an event that will bring together representatives from communities, cities and regions across Europe to exchange ideas and demonstrate how local action can contribute to a stronger Europe.
AQUATHERMAL ENERGY
The session will introduce aquathermal energy, a renewable approach that uses the warmth or coolness naturally present in water.
Energy can be extracted from sources such as rivers, lakes and canals. A heat pump then raises it to a useful temperature, allowing it to contribute to the heating of homes, public buildings or groups of buildings.
Rather than presenting aquathermal energy as a technical solution imposed on communities, the talk will focus on how local people can help shape, lead and benefit from new energy projects.
SHARING LEARNING FROM AQUACOM
The presentation will share learning from AquaCOM, an Interreg North-West Europe project led by Ballyhoura Development, which supports cooperation between organisations and communities in Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The project is developing practical approaches, learning opportunities and demonstration projects to help communities understand whether energy from water could work in their area.
The project is working with early-adopter communities and developing three demonstration projects in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It is also creating opportunities for communities to learn through masterclasses, project visits, networking and a dedicated aquathermal energy knowledge centre.
Irish communities involved in the learning process include Croom Sustainable Energy Community, Glenstal Abbey, Elevate Fermoy and Kylemore Abbey. Their involvement is helping to connect European expertise with the needs, opportunities and experiences of Irish communities.
Seán Sweeney’s presentation will explore how AquaCOM is helping communities move away from fossil fuels, take a more active role in their energy future and contribute to wider policy development.
It will also highlight the importance of providing communities with accessible information, practical support and a meaningful voice in decisions about energy.
