Mullingar SEC shortlisted for national sustainable energy award
The Mullingar Sustainable Energy Community (MSEC) has been shortlisted for a national sustainable energy award in recognition of its work in helping Mullingar to reach net zero by 2050.
The community organisation, a sub-committee of Mullingar Chamber, has been announced as a finalist in the ‘Inspirational Sustainable Energy Community’ category of the SEAI Energy Awards 2023.
The awards recognise and reward excellence in all aspects of energy efficiency and renewable energy, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony in Dublin in November.
Speaking following the announcement of the finalists, chairperson of the Mullingar SEC, Hazel Smyth, said she was delighted with the nomination because it will help to raise awareness of both the work of the SEC and of the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the fight against climate change.
“We are really only beginning our work as a sustainable energy community in Mullingar and have a long way to go, but we have made a great start over the last few years and have learned a lot from other inspirational SECs around the country.”
The SEC face competition from the three other finalists in the category: Connaught GAA Sustainable Energy Community, Glinsk Sustainable Energy Community and The Yard Hub Sustainable Energy Community.
In responding to that competition, Hazel Smyth acknowledged: “All the finalists have made great strides in their own communities and have shown how important the efforts of local communities are to finding practical solutions to the climate crisis.”
The Mullingar SEC have had a busy year. They are continuing to work on the design and development of a 100 per cent community-owned solar farm on the site of the former landfill at Marlinstown.
The group have recently completed house-to-house consultations in the local area about the project.
During the summer, the group also published Mullingar’s first Energy Master Plan, which sets out a map to help the town reach its target of zero carbon.
The Mullingar SEC are always looking for new members to help it with their work. Anybody interested in helping out is asked to check the website at www.mullingarsec.ie and get in touch with any of the committee members or email secmullingar@gmail.com.
The SEC are grateful to their corporate sponsors (listed on the website) and are always seeking further sponsorship.
Contributions can also be made through the Go Fund Me page (link on the website).
The MSEC is also a finalist in the Mullingar Chamber Awards 2023, in the Sustainability and Climate Action category.
The other finalists in that category are the Refill Mill, Mullingar Tidy Towns and Thomas Flynn.