The European Commission has selected two new projects on clean ocean energy for funding under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). While the first tidal farms in European waters are being deployed and more and more devices are being tested in water, the idea of obtaining clean energy through the oceans’ waves is also...

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has announced a research fund of over €2.5 million to support cutting-edge research, development and demonstration energy projects in 2018.  The Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme aims to develop new energy solutions that can help our homes, businesses and communities become more energy efficient and deliver...

Do you know who’s bringing the horse to France? – ECOS and Celtic Bioenergy are. Kerrygold’s clever marketing campaign intrigued a nation while making their brand internationally recognised with a series of clever adds over 20 years ago which still resonates today.  The “Who’s bringing the horse to France?” campaign was so successful it became...

Heineken Ireland has announced an initiative which aims to bring communities together to create urban growing spaces that have a positive impact – socially, environmentally and economically.  Entitled ‘Growing with Our Communities‘, the initiative is “rooted” internally with HEINEKEN Ireland employees and in collaboration with GIY (Grow it Yourself), through a bespoke GIY@Work programme called #StarGrowers. Ten Community...

The production of concrete and of concrete structures consumes large amounts of resources, such as water, energy, cement and steel and emit large amounts of CO2 in their production processes. ISO 13315-1:2012, Environmental management for concrete and concrete structures – Part 1: General Principles, aims to provide the basic rules on environmental management for concrete...

ECOS have been appointed to provide technical support services to SMILE Resource Exchange for the Southern Waste Management Region.  We look forward to working closely with SMILE and our counterparts in the East & Midlands and Connaught & Ulster waste management regions. SMILE Resource Exchange is a free service for businesses which: Encourages the exchanging of...

The Joint Research Council (JRC) has recently published a report which provides guidelines on implementing water reuse in Europe, and analyses the associated technical, environmental, health and socioeconomic challenges to such reuse. Water recycling and reuse is one of the answers to the water challenges in the urban, industrial and agricultural contexts; it can help...

The EU-funded project EUCERTPLAST (‘European certification of plastics recyclers’) has developed a common certification scheme for post-consumer plastics recycling in Europe. Such a scheme helps recyclers and waste collectors, who would be able to guarantee that the plastic waste they collect is actually being recycled (rather than traded) and that this is done in a...

Europe can effectively replace oil with renewable energy in transport without resorting to harmful biofuels, according to a new report by Dutch research institute CE Delft, commissioned by environmental groups. The report, Sustainable Alternatives for Land-based Biofuels in the European Union, explores scenarios that recommend a major EU policy shift, prioritising energy efficiency and speeding...

The EU executive  organised a stakeholder meeting to determine which types of biodegradable waste can be designated as “products”. Such a definition would allow the waste to be used as fertiliser. Countries’ compliance with the forthcoming EU criteria will be voluntary, but if treated waste does not meet the EU criteria, it can only be...