The Coillte Group continues to take steps to reduce energy and water usage and decrease emissions and overall reduce its carbon footprint. 

In addition, Coillte will play a key role in delivering on Ireland’s Renewable Energy Strategy across a broad range of roles including; as a developer, a co-developer, a strategic source of sites for third party developers, a strategic source of rights of way and way leaves for third party developers and expertise to support the development of comprehensive planning applications to the relevant statutory authorities.

Note 1: We are currently enhancing our ability to measure energy consumption in other parts of the business such as Nurseries Division and plan to expand reporting in this area next year.

Note 2: Coillte does not use any indirect energy source.

While working hard to look at ways by which we can generate renewable energy, we are also fully cognisant of our own energy consumption.  The Coillte Group is a relatively large user of energy and we have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at reducing these levels.  These include:

• Introduction of one of the first industrial wood pellet burning boilers and solar panels to provide heating at our HQ facility in Newtownmountkennedy. This has resulted in savings on energy calculated at approximately 150,000 kwhs per annum.
• The introduction of a refiner plate design at Medite, which has resulted in a reduction of 30kWh per ton of oven dry fibre produced (Line 1). 
• Installation at SmartPly of low energy lighting which is expected to result in savings of 40405.5 kw/€118,374.
• Video conferencing and voice conferencing facilities have been installed at all major Coillte offices reducing the need for travel between locations.

In addition, Coillte has introduced the 'Power of One' initiative at all offices but do not yet have figures to show energy reduction details. We are also at the early stages of examining the feasibility of using a small wind turbine at our HQ and possible other sites and are also investigating the use of an Archimedean screw at sites close to river locations.

Medite operates under ISO14001 and CARB Certification while SmartPly is regulated under the IPPC licence Environmental Management Programme.

Greenhouse gas emissions

In relation to Greenhouse gas emissions, as a comprehensive measurement systems is not in place, a complete figure is not available for Coillte office network.  Below please see details of Medite and SmartPly emissions.

SmartPly intend to minimise the use of a geka diesel burner through careful management of fuel and fuel hogging in winter months with a view to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Other Air Emissions by type and Weight

Reusing and Recycling

Coillte and Medite are members of Repak and produce annual returns in relation to the amount of waste produced, both through internal distribution of products and services and from external purchase of waste packaging materials. E.g. plastic bags, plastic drums, pallets, paper, cardboard.

Coillte run a fleet of 140 vehicles made up of vans, cars, trucks and tractors. Of these, 97% run on diesel and we are currently preparing to trial bio-diesel and lpg alternatives in some of these vehicles.

Water Withdrawal By Source

Coillte Nurseries, SmartPly and Medite, at times, withdraw water from river sources or site wells, rather than solely from a public distribution system.  

Coillte Nurseries

At Coillte’s Nursery in Ballintemple, Co. Carlow, water abstraction from the River Slaney is permitted under a Planning Licence which allows extraction of: 511,000 m3 (cubic meters) per annum at a limit of 1400 m3 per day.  Actual consumption for 2009 was 8,924 m3 which equates to 1.7% of the total allowance.

Coillte Panel Products

Note 1: In relation to water recycled and reused, SmartPly used 18,800m3 from surface water discharge.

Water Discharges

In relation to water discharges, Medite and SmartPly discharge water into the River Anner and the River Suir.

Packaging materials for all products sold are all recyclable e.g. wood, plastic, paper, cardboard and Coillte has had no incidences of non-compliance in relation to environmental laws or regulations.