Founder member of Energy Co-operatives Ireland (ECI) in 2013, Cormac has overseen its growth from a single energy co-operative to a position where it plays the central role in the independent community energy sustainability sector. Cormac has been instrumental to the establishment of all seven existing energy co-ops in Ireland, and is a powerful policy advocate and business expert, both promoting and steering the development of each of these community led initiatives. Cormac is ECI’s lead in the GECOMM, HUGE, and GreenHysland Hydrogen projects. Cormac also co-ordinates ECIs community led 1GW Valentia Island Energy and the 2GW Aran Islands Energy ORE projects.
2. Community Benefits ( page 4 of steering members document) :
To ensure that the coastal communities hosting each OREH2 project participate as key partners in the development of each project for the long-term benefit of those communities.
We propose that through the development of the European green hydrogen economy, the council aims to ensure the long-term viability of coastal communities’ social and economic well-being. We believe that the innovation and technology opportunities of the Hydrogen economy should be directed towards deep socio-economic sustainability at every point along the supply chain. This includes locally focussed employment measures at the point of production and transport of H2.
3. Energy Co-operatives Ireland speciality is in Community engagement and acceptance in relation to the scenario outlined on page 9. Such work would be undertaken in association with NUIG Geography and sociology Departments.