Organisations tackling the UK cost of living crisis and providing a new generation with the skills for green jobs have been recognised in this year’s international Ashden Awards.

Energy minister Eamon Ryan launched the new BE (Bachelor of Engineering) programme in energy systems engineering on Monday in NUI Galway.
 
The new course, which will be based in the new engineering building currently under construction on the campus, has been developed in partnership with members of the energy industry including ESB, GE Energy, Airtricity, Bord Gáis and Wavebob.

The energy and climate change secretary, Ed Miliband, has announced details of a "green loans" scheme to help people pay for improvements to their homes to make them more energy efficient.

The scheme, which would see loans remain attached to the house where insulation, solar panels or other green technology was installed, aims to overcome the financial barriers and upfront costs people face when trying make their homes greener.

Ireland could become the green energy capital of Europe and support over 80,000 green jobs, according to a new report released by Irish bio-energy firm BioPower.

Launching the report last Wednesday, energy minister Eamon Ryan said: "Clean energy will provide the solution to Ireland's economic and environmental challenges, securing the investment and jobs of the future.

BioSpark - a newly-formed joint venture between Imperative Energy and Sustainable BioPolymers - has announced its intention to invest €40 million in the development of a next generation bio-processing research, innovation and manufacturing centre in Claremorris, County Mayo. Biospark says the venture will create 180 jobs initially, and could create up to 300 jobs in total over the next three years.

EMPLOYMENT IN green sectors is on the rise despite an overall slowdown in the jobs industry, according to recruitment agencies. Jobs in green areas such as renewable energy will continue to increase over the next year, following rapid growth since the summer of 2008, according to Gary Barcoe, divisional manager at Stelfox recruitment.