Energy | Business Post

Microsoft plans private power plant on €900m data centre site

Concerns about constraints on Ireland’s energy grid prompt action by tech giant, with facility likely to add at least €100m to cost of Dublin project

In dispute: Will a new law fix Ireland’s planning system?

The government is bringing in a bill designed to limit judicial reviews on large developments. But some experts argue the problems lie elsewhere and that it is wrong to blame the backlog of housing and other projects on such reviews

€42m debt-to-equity swap strengthens Coates’ Pinergy holding

Betting magnate’s backing of energy firm through rough patch a ‘statement of long-term support and belief in its vision’

Climate & Environment

Action stations: Turning Ireland’s climate ambitions into reality

Our national targets for reducing emissions, set out in the new Climate Action Plan, are now among the most ambitious in the world – and each sector has specific carbon budgets and pathways to deliver on by 2025 – but how achievable are they?

Climate & Environment

Industry will have to pay for climate change damage, Eamon Ryan says

Minister for the Environment heralds agreement on principle of loss and damage funding for developing countries as major breakthrough

The risk of recession: is Ireland headed for a new downturn?

All barometers point to a coming recession in Europe, with a number of key indicators ‘flashing red’. Ireland, however, is heading into this period of uncertainty on a stronger economic footing than it was in 2008

Eithne Shortall: Getting hot and bothered over a tumble dryer is a waste of energy

Winter is coming – along with potentially sky-scraping utility bills – but government messaging on what not to do to keep house and home warm and dry is useless without practical suggestions on feasible alternatives

Shannon offshore wind target to generate six times Ireland’s need is ‘baseline estimate’

Eamon Ryan says Shannon Foynes Port can deliver more than 30 gigawatts by 2050, and is optimistic about other offshore wind projects despite two energy giants pulling out of market

Offshore wind projects at Shannon could deliver six times Ireland’s domestic energy demand by 2050

Review of Shannon Foynes masterplan says up to 120 floating turbines could be installed offshore per year with thousands of jobs being created and billions of euros of investment pumped into the region

Microsoft asked state to prioritise data centres in event of fuel emergency

Newly released text messages show the tech giant asked the government to clarify that data centres would be protected in the event of fuel shortages

Microsoft ramped up lobbying on data centres ahead of new government policy

Senior civil servant told the tech giant that opposition to data centres was ‘often based on misinformation’

Poll finds that 80 per cent plan to keep heating off at times even in cold weather

As price hikes bite, 64 per cent of people say they have ‘little or no disposable income’

Department opposed regulator's plan to put tariff on big energy companies

Department of Enterprise was against now-scrapped plans proposed by Commission for Regulation of Utilities to reduce energy consumption this winter

Galway wind farm fines hit €16 million amid disagreement between Department and European Commission

Controversial development subject to ongoing infringement case following landslide in 2003

Business Post's View

Editorial: A standalone ministry for energy would prove government takes issue seriously

With sky high prices triggered by the war in Ukraine and possible blackouts in the winter ahead, creating a dedicated ministry would send all the right signals to energy companies, businesses and consumers

Business energy support scheme to be extended

The refund scheme can run for an extra two months after its proposed end date at the end of February if necessary

Kildare energy tech firm garners €6m for ‘opportunistic’ growth

GridBeyond is using debt financing to build out markets in the US, Australia and Japan for its machine-learning power efficiency product

Gas field owner accuses Ryan of ‘inaccurate’ statements

Europa Oil and Gas accuses the energy and climate minister of ‘potentially misleading’ an Oireachtas committee with his remarks about the Irish gas exploration sector

No discussion of job cuts at high-level meeting between Intel and government

Top official at Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment met the company earlier this year to discuss the status of its Leixlip operation

Today's headlines

Inflation puts ‘vital’ gas-fired power plants at risk; College Green to close to cars

The top stories from business and politics in today’s Business Post