Energy firm wants to set up a co-op in Westmeath

A public meeting is to be held at the Mullingar Park Hotel next Wednesday, October 10, hosted by a company that fosters the development of energy co-operatives.Energy Cooperatives Ireland is aiming to see a large community co-op established in this area, in response to the announcement by Mainstream Power and Element Power of their plans to set up large windfarms in the midlands, to export renewable energy directly to the UK."Energy Co-operatives Ireland has established smaller scale renewable energy co-ops in Ireland but now aims at creating a much larger and more geographically diverse co-operative. This new co-op will be aimed at maximising the benefits to the relevant local communities of proposed large scale energy export projects," said Cormac Walsh, of Energy Cooperatives Ireland, this week.He said that since the windfarms are likely to be around for a long time, the communities in this area need to look at ways of maximising the benefit to the entire community - and not just landowners."We have contacted the IFA, the ICA, the GAA and many other local community organisations who have expressed interest in our renewable energy co-op proposal," said Mr Walsh.The meeting is taking place at 8pm, and further information is available atwww.energyco-ops.ie.