Members of the public have been invited to vote online in the “Leadership” category of this year’s Sustainable Energy Awards, with the companies contending for the prize including Abbott, Johnson and Johnson, Musgrave Group and Aurivo.

Organised by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the awards recognise the ambitious and the practical solutions companies use to reduce their carbon footprint and protect the environment.

Other categories in the awards include: large and small business, community, public sector, innovation, research, leadership, buildings and design.

In the Leadership category, the four finalists have been recognised for their “extraordinary leadership and ambition in advancing sustainable energy in their organisations and communities over a prolonged period.”

Abbott, for example, is working towards reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2020 and has saved 2,700 tonnes of CO₂ since 2012 at their six Irish sites. Aurivo, meanwhile, is striving to reduce its impact on the environment through energy efficiency and energy from biomass, with recent initiatives offsetting over 8,000 tonnes of CO₂.

The winners at the 13^th Sustainable Energy Awards will be announced at a gala event on November 3^rd in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.

To vote in the Leadership category, please click here.

Pictured are Brian Motherway, CEO, SEAI and Lisa Jackson, vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, Apple

Apple has committed a €1 million fund to promote the development of ocean energy in Ireland.

The fund will help developers who receive a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant to test their ocean energy prototypes in the Galway Bay Ocean Energy Test Site. Apple in turn are looking at the potential of ocean energy to power their forthcoming data centre in Co. Galway.

Welcoming the announcement Minister for Communication, Energy and Natural Resources Alex White T.D. “The west coast of Ireland is recognised as having some of the best wave resources in the world and I warmly welcome this agreement between Apple and SEAI to help harness this renewable source of energy. This is an excellent achievement for Ireland and shows that when it comes to ocean energy development, Ireland is definitely open for business.”

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Apple. Its track record in development and innovation is second to none and its support to the emerging wave energy industry will be a major boost nationally.” said Dr Brian Motherway, CEO, SEAI.

The Galway Bay test site, in operation since 2006, is a state of the art facility which enables the testing of wave energy technologies at quarter scale.

“We’re excited by the potential of ocean energy to someday serve as a source of clean power for the data centre we are building in Athenry, County Galway,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We are deeply committed to powering all our facilities with 100 percent renewable energy and believe investing in innovative projects will make reaching our goal easier.”

Further details on Ireland ocean energy offering are available here and details on SEAI’s  ocean energy funding can be found here.