Low Carbon Homes Programme
It was announced this week that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD, has issued plans to provide developers of new high energy efficient homes a grant of up to 40%. He plans to make Ireland the role model in Europe in regards to energy conservation and low carbon homes. Developers will be required to use alternative energy sources such as solar photovoltaic, micro-wind and micro combined heat and power (CHP) to achieve the high standards required for the grants.
€9 million grant for …

Oil prices reached a record high on Monday reaching $143.67 a barrel, more than doubling in the last 12 months.

With the average price of Petrol @ 133.9c and Diesel @ 143.9c motorists are most certainly feeling the pinch.
Home heating oil too has seen a dramatic price increase with the cost of 1000 litres of kerosene at an average of €905 or 0.905 €/ltr up from €739.7 or 0.7397 €/ltr on 21st Feb 08 (prices not including VAT).

The president of OPEC Chakib Khelil has predicted that the price of oil …