Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 3: Climate Action Energy

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 77 3.2.8 Micro Renewable Energy Certain energy installations that qualify as being micro-generators will also qualify for an exemption from requiring planning permission as per the provisions of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended). These planning exemptions apply to residential scale and some commercial scale wind turbine, solar arrays, heat pumps and biomass boilers subject to meeting certain conditions. The Council encourages the small scale generation of heat and electricity by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs and as an alternative to or to supplement grid connected power. 3.3 Energy Infrastructure 3.3.1 Electricity Transmission and Distribution There is a strong electricity network traversing County Offaly. The existing transmission network is comprised of 400kV, 220kV and 110kV infrastructure. The regional demand centres, including Tullamore, and generation sources, including Mount Lucas Wind Farm, are mainly served by the widely dispersed 110kV meshed network, with the high capacity 400kV and 220kV circuits mainly transferring power through the region. This 400kV network includes both the Oldstreet-Woodland 400kV Line and the Moneypoint-Dunstown 400kV Overhead Line, both which travel through County Offaly. The 400kV network is a critical piece of infrastructure which transmits electricity from Moneypoint in County Clare to the midlands and east of the island. The 220kV network is focused mainly on the thermal facility at Shannonbridge in West Offaly, comprising the Shannonbridge-Killonan (Limerick) Overhead Line and the Shannonbridge-Maynooth (Kildare) Overhead Line. EirGrid has constructed two new 100kV circuits in the region, namely Cushaling (Edenderry) – Thornsberry (Tullamore) and Kinnegad – Mullingar. These projects have strengthened the region’s transmission network by improving security and quality of supply and ensuring there is the potential for demand growth in towns including Tullamore. The network can be seen in Figure 3.3 below.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 78 Figure 3.3 Existing Electricity Infrastructure in County Offaly EirGrid is responsible for power across the electricity transmission grid, ensuring a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity to homes, businesses and industry across the country while ESB networks are responsible for carrying out maintenance, repairs and construction on the grid. A comprehensive development strategy for the country’s electricity infrastructure is provided in EirGrid’s 2017 publication Grid Development Strategy - Your Grid, Your Tomorrow, along with the associated Grid Implementation Plan for the initial period 2017-2022. In addition, EirGrid’s Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios 2017 - Planning our Energy Future considers the range of possible ways that energy usage may change in the future, taking account of energy and climate change policies, economic developments, technology evolution and adaption, and other national and international policies. The Council recognises that essential future upgrades are required to the electricity grid in the midlands as outlined in Eirgrids Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios 2019 System Needs Assessment and will support Eirgrid in future Programmes identifying grid solutions, in both infrastructural and technological terms, in order to facilitate the electricity targets, set out in the Government’s Climate Action Plan 2019 and the National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 79 3.3.2 Energy Storage Whilst renewable energy sources have vast potential to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and GHG emissions, many of the resources have intermittent or variable output, therefore if they are not harnessed, the energy goes to waste. As a result, there is an increased need for energy storage when energy demand is low so it can be used when energy demand is high. There are a number of storage systems which provide this function including pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), battery storage and thermal storage in addition to newer technologies such as liquid storage. Two battery storage facilities of this nature have been developed at Shannonbridge and Lumcloon in the west of the county while another has been granted permission at Coolcur, Rhode. 3.3.3 Electric Vehicles, Fuel Cell Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles Electric Vehicles (EV) refer to both Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). All new cars sold in Ireland will be zero carbon emission or zero carbon emission capable by 2030 as well as many of our transport uses and rail lines. The ultimate aim is to decarbonise the national car fleet by 2050 so that it will be low or near zero emissions. There are a number of charging points around the county and this Plan promotes the further installation and expansion of charging points for these vehicles. The Council will also promote and support the development of the necessary infrastructure required by Government to accommodate autonomous vehicles (self-driving) and fuel cell vehicles. ‘Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles’ use fuel cells to combine stored hydrogen with oxygen to generate electricity (as opposed to electricity from the public grid which currently is part-generated from fossil fuels), which then powers the vehicle’s electric motors. They offer greater range and faster refuelling than current electric vehicles. 3.4 Climate Adaptation 3.4.1 Peatlands Peat-fired electricity generation will be phased out early this decade according to the Government’s Climate Action Plan 2019. It is recognised that this phasing out or transition away from carbon intensive sources of energy will have a severe impact on workers and communities in the midlands. In recognition of this impact, the Government has committed to providing a ‘Just Transition’ for those affected, establishing a Just Transition Fund, which will support the retraining and reskilling of workers, provide for bog restoration and rehabilitation and deliver housing upgrades in these communities. In addition, a Just Transition Commissioner has been appointed to help ensure a coordinated and effective approach to Just Transition. The inclusion of the midland region on the EU Platform for Coal Regions in Transition will greatly assist in providing for a Just Transition for the midland region. The aim of this EU Platform is to provide support for regions heavily involved in fossil fuel industries and provide opportunities for national, regional, and local representatives and EU staff to discuss how these regions can best decarbonise

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 80 their economies. As part of this Platform, a Regional Transition Team was established to assist the midlands in planning for the phasing out of peat fired electricity generation. Whilst recognising that the cessation of industrial peat harvesting will have positive environmental impacts, the Council supports the Regional Transition Team in pursuing funding opportunities and actions to mitigate the effects of these job losses, positioning the region to develop alternative forms of employment, attract investment and maximise existing employment opportunities and resources. The Council recognises the great potential that the circa 80,000 hectares of industrial peatlands in the midlands offer in relation to after uses ranging from amenity, tourism, biodiversity services, ‘wild areas’, flood management, climate mitigation, energy development, industry, education, conservation and many more. The Council supports the preparation of a comprehensive after use framework plan for the industrial peatlands and associated workshops, office buildings, industrial sites and power stations in the midlands, which meets the environmental, economic and social needs of communities in these areas, and will work with all stakeholders involved in the process in this regard. The Council considers that there is significant potential to develop a Green Energy Hub in County Offaly, which focuses on the higher order aspects of the industry such as research, new technologies, headquarter development, assembly, maintenance and financing, due to its extensive area of peatlands, its long history in power generation and its proactive position in relation to renewable energy developments over the past decade. Offaly’s extensive area of peatlands also offer considerable potential to accommodate the needs of the emerging and early deployment technologies for renewable energy and future energy storage on a regional scale such as data centres and battery energy storage. 3.4.2 Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use sector Agriculture is both an emitter of GHGs and has the potential to absorb emissions; therefore, the Council will support the vision of carbon neutrality. Ireland’s National Forest Inventory 2017 states that there are approximately 29,300 hectares of forest cover and 170,770 hectares of non-forestry woodland in County Offaly. The Inventory also states that; • 32.9% of forestry is public owned and 67.1% is privately owned; and • broadleaf species comprises 54.1% and conifer species 45.9% of forest coverage in the county. Offaly County Council recognises that trees and woodlands play an important role in the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through the biochemical process of photosynthesis carbon dioxide is taken in by trees and stored as carbon in the trunk, branches, leaves and roots. Carbon is also stored in the soil and indeed this is a major sink for carbon in the forest. Decay of the organic material eventually releases the CO2 and other greenhouse gases back to the atmosphere, and provided the forests are sustainably managed and replanting takes place after clear-felling to guard against deforestation, forests continue to sequester carbon and provide wood products in the future. The release of CO2, however, can be delayed by harvesting of trees when they mature, if the wood is used for construction, furniture and other end uses that prolong its life.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 81 To meet the required level of CO2 reductions, the Climate Action Plan 2019 targets afforestation rates of an average of 8,000 hectares per year, in order to reach a national forestry land-cover target of 18% by the second half of this century. 3.4.3 Low Carbon District Heating District heating is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to heat apartments, homes and mixed use developments. District heating networks can be based on a variety of technologies and renewable energy sources, such as combined heat and power (CHP), bioenergy, geothermal or energy from waste. Such schemes work particularly well in built-up urban areas where there is a near constant demand. For the system to work, water is heated using a boiler located in a central heating plant. The heat is distributed to the individual houses via an underground network of insulated pipes. The water in the network is continually circulating and always available. Immersion heaters, boilers and hot water storage tanks are not required which frees up space for other purposes. The use of a renewable energy solution to provide heating and hot water to houses and businesses contributes to sustainability as it reduces demand for and consumption of energy while using a renewable form of fuel. 3.4.4 Energy Efficiency in Buildings The design, construction and operation of new buildings, have a significant role to play in reducing energy demand and increasing energy efficiency into the future. Building Regulations Part L (2007- 2011) prescribe that a reasonable proportion of the energy consumption to meet the energy performance of a dwelling is provided by renewable energy sources. The Council promotes energy efficient design and recommends consideration of energy design at the earliest stage in the design processes through careful site selection, and the design of new buildings with regard to orientation so as to maximise solar gain. Careful consideration should also be given to the adaptability of buildings over time to enable the building stock to be retrofitted to meet higher efficiency standards in the future. Multi-storey and terraced buildings in close proximity require less energy and make renewables-based systems of energy distribution such as district heating, more feasible. 3.5 Flood Risk Management It is expected that climate change will impact on flood risk in Offaly into the future from an increase in the number of heavy rainfall days per year leading to an increase in both fluvial (river) and pluvial (surface water) flooding. In order to minimise the impact of an increased future flood risk, there are various steps that Offaly County Council can take such as flood protection works, stormwater attenuation and more significantly, avoidance of development in floodplains except in very limited circumstances. A major function of floodplains and wetlands subject to flooding is to hold excess water until it can be released slowly back into the river system or seep into the ground as a storm surge subsides.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 82 Floodplains or wetlands subject to flooding should, therefore, be recognised and preserved to the maximum extent possible, in both urban and rural areas as green infrastructure which provides a natural defence against flood risk. Figure 3.4 Flooding in Banagher 3.5.1 CFRAM Programme The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the lead organisation for flood risk management in Ireland. The OPW undertook the national Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) programme which delivers on core components of the National Flood Policy (2004) and on the requirements of the EU Floods Directive [2007/60/EC], in co-operation with local authorities and other public bodies. In 2011, the national Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) identified 300 communities at potentially significant flood risk referred to as the Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs), which were then the focus of the CFRAM Studies and the Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs). There are nine AFA areas in County Offaly at Birr, Clara, Daingean, Edenderry and Environs, Pollagh, Rahan, Shannon Harbour, Shannonbridge - Power Station and Tullamore. The OPW has published predictive fluvial flood maps prepared through the CFRAM programme for the AFAs, including Flood Zone maps. There are 118 Flood Relief Schemes in the Flood Risk Management Plans (2018) to be implemented under the ten-year €1 billion investment programme including Flood Relief Schemes for Rahan and Birr.

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 83 3.5.2 The Planning System and Flood Risk Management, Guidelines for Planning Authorities The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG) in conjunction with the OPW published guidelines for Planning Authorities in November 2009 entitled ‘The Planning System and Flood Risk Management’. The guidelines introduce comprehensive mechanisms for the incorporation of flood risk identification, assessment and management into the planning process. Planning Authorities (both elected members and officials) must implement these guidelines in ensuring that, where relevant, flood risk is a key consideration in preparing development plans and in the assessment of planning applications. Planning Authorities are required under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) ‘to have regard to’ the guidelines in carrying out their planning function and be ‘consistent with’ specific planning policy requirements. The core objectives of the guidelines are to: • Avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding; • Avoid new developments increasing flood risk elsewhere, including that which may arise from surface water run-off; • Ensure effective management of residual risks for development permitted in floodplains; • Avoid unnecessary restriction of national, regional or local economic and social growth; • Improve the understanding of flood risk among relevant stakeholders; and • Ensure that the requirements of EU and national law in relation to the natural environment and nature conservation are complied with at all stages of flood risk management. The guidelines contain information relevant to how the SFRA will be an informative policy framing document, the premise of which will be taken from the guidelines, transposed into the SFRA and enable it to act as a guidance document to inform decision making on land use zoning and general flood risk issues where required and relevant. 3.5.3 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment In accordance with The Planning System and Flood Risk Management, Guidelines for Planning Authorities, a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) has been prepared to assess flood risk within the Plan area, and it forms part of this Plan as a separate document. A number of approaches to managing flood risk in the county have been employed in helping to make the Plan and are recommended particularly for dealing with planning applications. These include: 1. Areas at risk of flooding have been identified and there is a greater understanding of why flooding occurs in the general area. 2. A precautionary approach has largely been employed to landuse zoning to avoid directing development towards areas at risk of flooding. Under the Plan, no highly or less vulnerable land uses are being proposed on undeveloped lands in Flood Zone A (high flood risk) and no highly vulnerable land uses are being proposed on undeveloped lands in Flood Zone B (moderate flood risk). This is because a Constrained Land Uses designation (see Section 12.6.1

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 84 and the SFRA that accompanies the Plan) is being applied through the Plan across all lands within Flood Zones A and B. 3. A site-specific flood risk assessment will be required to accompany development proposals for areas at risk of flooding (fluvial, pluvial or groundwater), even for developments deemed appropriate in principle to the particular Flood Zone and mitigation measures for site and building works will be required to be integrated. 4. Policies and objectives have been devised in the SFRA for incorporation into this plan’. 3.5.4 Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems Adequate stormwater drainage and retention facilities are necessary to accommodate increased surface water run-off from existing and future developments. The use of Sustainable Drainage Systems and green infrastructure in developments are addressed in more detail in specific development management standards in Chapter 13 of this Plan. Sustainable urban drainage is addressed further in Chapter 11 Water Services and Environment and green infrastructure is addressed further in Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape. 3.6 Data Centres It is Government Policy as set out in the National Planning Framework and the Government Statement on The Role of Data Centres in Ireland to promote Ireland as a sustainable international destination for Information Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure such as Data Centres. To date, some of the world’s best known companies including Microsoft, Google, IBM and Amazon AWS have chosen Ireland as the location for their European data centre footprint and up to now this growth has largely been concentrated in and around Dublin city. Committed expansions and expected growth in the ICT sector in Dublin has created significant demand for more data centres which in turn has increased the demand for renewable energy to facilitate this growth. Increasingly, counties in the midlands and west are seen as attractive locations for data centres with cheap and extensive land, secure energy suppliers and plenty of cooling wind. Offaly County Council acknowledges that data centres contribute to job creation during construction, maintenance and from associated areas such as research and development, data analytics, customer service, technical support, marketing and sales. Data centres generally need to be located in areas where there exists a significant and sustainable electricity supply, high powered fibre optic cables, good accessibility, large land banks that are easily developable with future expansion possibilities and which offers good security. In addition, the Council is mindful that Data Centres should avoid sensitive landscapes and environments as outlined in Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape. 3.7 Decarbonisation Actions and Projects This Plan recognises that local Authorities have an important role in leading a bottom up approach contributing to the national climate action agenda. Action 165 of the Climate Action Plan requires each Local Authority to identify one location or area that would be subject to a plan for a Decarbonising Zone (DZ). It is intended over the lifetime of this Plan to develop and implement a Decarbonising Plan for a Decarbonising Zone within county Offaly in conjunction with relevant stakeholder(s).

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 85 A DZ is a spatial area identified by the local authority, in which a range of climate mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity measures and actions are identified to address local low carbon energy, greenhouse gas emissions and climate needs to contribute to national climate action targets. Table 3.2 below lists all actions and specific projects that that can be undertaken in County Offaly in the lifetime of this County Development Plan to help achieve a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy. Table 3.2 Decarbonisation Actions and Projects Aim Actions Potential Projects Promote Compact Growth Reduce urban sprawl, encourage higher densities, reuse buildings 1. Specific projects which may arise from development of Opportunity Sites as identified in Section 7.2.4 of the Plan relating to Tullamore, Birr, Edenderry and Portarlington and the Opportunity Sites outlined in Clara, Banagher, Ferbane, Kilcormac and Daingean in Volume 2. Provision of community and enterprise space for meetings, digital hub, creative spaces, exhibition spaces and study spaces in specific objectives in Town and Village Plans contained in Volume 2 of this Plan. 2. Development of incubator units, providing work space for startup businesses in specific objectives in Town and Village Plans contained in Volume 2 of this Plan. 3. Develop a new purpose built modern community library and arts space at JKL Street Edenderry. Integrate transportation and landuse planning Reduce the need to travel and move towards selfsustaining rather than commuter driven activity Support car free developments in suitable locations Provide mixed use developments and support the close location of jobs / shops / services / education and homes to minimise the need for the most common travel patterns Promote the repair and reuse of existing buildings including underutilised upper floors in urban areas Reduce vacancy and dereliction in towns and villages

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 3 Climate Action and Energy Page 86 Strengthen public transport linkages and encourage their use Sustainability Mobility Greenways, pedestrian routes, cycleways, permeability, connectivity to facilities and amenities and public transport provision 1. Improve cycling infrastructure including dedicated cycle lanes and footpath connections in settlements as outlined in specific objectives in Town and Village Plans contained in Volume 2 of this Plan. 2. Provision of outdoor pursuits, walking and cycling routes through the county’s peatlands and network of industrial railways linking the River Shannon Blueway, Royal Canal, Grand Canal and Barrow Blueway across the midlands as outlined in the ‘Major Cycling Destination in the Midlands of Ireland –Feasibility Study 2016’. 3. Continue to improve walkways, cycleways and facilities at Lough Boora Discovery Park. 4. Continue to improve walkways and facilities at Derryounce. 5. Prepare Local Transport Plans for Birr, Edenderry and Portarlington. 6. Mobility Management and Travel Plans for Tullamore and Edenderry to bring about behaviour change and more sustainable transport use. Electric vehicle recharging infrastructure and electrification of council fleet 1. Provision of EV charging points at County Buildings and facilitate the provision of battery charging infrastructure in the county. 2. Purchase of electric vans in the Council fleet.

Source Offaly County Council: Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 3: Climate Action Energy (2021–2027) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.