Shannon Chamber launches Mid-West Sustainability Week 2024

Shannon Chamber has launched the programme for the second annual ‘Sustainability Week, which will be held in Shannon from Wednesday, 25 September to Wednesday, 2 October.

The ‘Week’, which features ten events and a day-long conference, is being delivered by Shannon Chamber via its member-led Mid-West Sustainability Network. It is sponsored by ESB and supported by companies including, Eli Lilly, Ei Electronics, EY, Climeaction, Element Six, Astatine, AIB, Shannon Chamber Skillnet, GreenTech Skillnet, Antaris Consulting, Mavarick, Vitalograph, Fine Grain Property and Aerogen.

A unique addition to the Sustainability Week 2024 programme will be the placement, by ESB, of their new Hydrogen Power Unit at the Shannon Airport Business Park to highlight the versatility of hydrogen fuel cell technology in different applications.

The demonstration will be in place for the full week and will be open for guided tours on Monday, 30 September and Tuesday, 1 October from 10am to 4pm.Advance booking is required, and visits will be accommodated in groups of six. Bookings can be made at https://www.snnairportgroup.ie/sustainability/esb-hydrogen-fuel-cell-tour/.

The expansive Sustainability Week programme comprises a mix of daily in-person and online events, each addressing four key sustainability areas – Waste, Water, Energy, Biodiversity.

Companies presenting during the ‘Week’ include: ESB Generation and Trading, ESB Smart Energy Services, Aerogen, Chemifloc Group, Ei Electronics, Uisce Éireann, Wyeth Nutrition, Southern Region Waste Planning Office, SEAI, Clean Ireland Recycling, Vitalograph, The Shannon Airport Group, Antaris Consulting, All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, Veon Forestry and Ecology, and The Change We Need.

The one-day conference (The S4 Conference), which will be held in Westpark Innovation Campus in Shannon, will bring the ‘Week’ to a close on Wednesday, 2 October. Companies presenting at the conference include ESB Generation and Trading, The Shannon Airport Group, Lilly Limerick, Element Six, Edwards Lifesciences, Heraeus Precious Metals Ltd. The day will conclude with a panel discussion, led by conference MC, Barry Gavin, and involving ESB Moneypoint, Shannon Foynes Port Company, SEAI and Clare County Council.

A ‘Street Event’ included in the conference programme will include information boards produced by companies focusing in on specific projects they have undertaken, the results attained and how the project contributed to the company’s net zero goals. Companies wishing to feature in this ‘Street Event’ should contact Shannon Chamber at admin@shannonchamber.ie.

The conference venue will also include an ‘Exhibitor Section’, where attendees can meet companies and organisations whose services can be deployed to commence or enhance sustainability undertakings.

Launching Sustainability Week and the S4 Conference, Shannon Chamber chief executive, Helen Downes said: “The objective of Sustainability Week is to place sustainability centre-stage in companies’ minds through showcasing the types of projects companies are undertaking to reduce their carbon footprint. It follows the very successful inaugural ‘Week’ we hosted in 2023. We are looking forward to hearing from a different cohort of companies this year, each of whom have embedded sustainability into the products and processes.

“We are delighted that ESB, in conjunction with The Shannon Airport Group, has chosen to place its new hydrogen power generation demonstration unit in Shannon during the week. The unit, produced by GeoPura, a UK-based renewable energy company, and their partner, Siemens Energy, is truly innovative.

Having it in Shannon for a week will really enhance what the Mid-West Sustainability Network is seeking to achieve – helping companies to attain net zero. Fuel cell technology, which converts hydrogen to electricity will play a leading role in this transition. To show how this can be achieved, particularly as part of Sustainability Week is a progressive step forward for the Network,” added Ms Downes

Jim Dollard, executive director, ESB Generation & Trading added: “At ESB, our Net Zero by 2040 strategy demonstrates our commitment to building a resilient electricity system of the future, where carbon-free energy will displace carbon emissions in how we power our lives, businesses and the economy.

To reach net zero in the timeframe that we have set out, other sources of clean energy will be required to support the electricity system here in Ireland. Moving away from coal and converting our existing facilities in Moneypoint, Co. Clare into a renewable energy hub as part of a major investment in the Green Atlantic programme, is a step forward in achieving this goal.

“We are delighted to return as sponsors of Shannon Chamber’s Sustainability Week and Conference which will allow members to share their own knowledge and experiences when it comes to sustainability and provide an outlet for learnings to be made to apply within their own organisations,” he added.

Full details and bookings for Shannon Chamber’s Sustainability Week and Conference can be found at www.shannonchamber.ie/events-training/. Advance booking is essential.

The Mid-West Sustainability Network was formed for CEOs and senior executives in Shannon Chamber member companies who are tasked with leading their organisations’ sustainability strategies. The Sustainability Week and Conference is a key initiative in the endeavour to position Shannon and the region as an exemplar contributor to sustainable development.