5.32 This could extend to small scale wind, biomass generators, anaerobic digestion plants and other energy from waste technologies and ground mounted solar panels at a utility scale. Renewable and low carbon energy generation also has the potential to assist in supporting the rural economy and safely converting agricultural waste to energy at a local scale through anaerobic digestion facilities. 5.33 Though limited by its predominantly urban setting, Cork City will work with stakeholders in renewable energy research and delivery to assist in realising plans to decarbonise the energy sector in the region and nationally.
Decarbonising Transport
5.35 In Ireland, the transport sector was the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with road transport being responsible for 95% of emissions within the sector in 2019. In addition to delivering a more sustainable transport network in Cork City as set out in Chapter 4 Transport and Mobility, we also need to decarbonise the transport network and support greater uptake of Electric Vehicles. Cork City Council has sought to lead on transitioning towards low carbon transport and currently hosts the largest electric vehicles fleet in the local authority sector and supports the roll- out of infrastructure to cater for electric vehicles across the city. 5.36 Chapter 9 Environmental Infrastructure contains development objectives on standalone, renewable energy projects within the City. These are supported in principle, but care is needed to ensure the proposals do not have significant adverse impacts on residential amenity, economic activity, the environment, biodiversity, transportation and utility services. The proposals also need to adhere to policy objectives contained elsewhere in the Development Plan.
District Heating Opportunities
5.34 In accommodating more compact and sustainable patterns of development, Cork City Council will assess the feasibility to deliver district heating, particularly in Cork City Docklands, Tivoli Docklands and the Cork Science and Innovation Park. District heating is a distribution network of insulated pipes that carry heat from a central source and delivers it to a number of buildings within the network. The heat source can vary and could include a facility that provides a dedicated supply to the heat network, such as a combined heat and power plant; or heat recovered from industry and urban infrastructure, or energy from waste plants.
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Cork City Draft Development Plan 2022-2028
Volume 1 I Chapter 5
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