Home About the eea Participating Countries Participants in Ireland Benefits for Communities FAQ Downloads News Contact Links	The European Energy Award® supports communities that want to contribute to a sustainable energy policy and urban development through the rational use of energy and increased use of renewable energies. Over 330 communities in 9 countries across Europe participate in the awards programme.        News ......

December 2007: Galway City Council receive European Energy Award^®:
Galway City Council (GCC) became the 1^st City in Ireland to receive the European Energy Award^® at a presentation held in Galway City Hall on 5th December 2007. An external audit was held in August 2007 and GCC surpassed the standard required to qualify for the Award.

On receiving the award Councillor O'Brolichain (former Galway City Mayor) thanked Galway Energy Agency and Galway City Council for their hard work, commitment and cooperation that led to success in achieving the certification.

GCC is the 3^rd municipality in Ireland to receive the award and joins over 320 other municipalities in the EU as a whole that have received the award.

January 2008: Select Energy Solutions Take Role as National Coordinator for the European Energy Award^® Programme in Ireland:

In January 2008 Select Energy Solutions took the role of National Coordinator for the European Energy Award^® (eea) Programme. The eea Programme was first piloted in Ireland by the South Western Services Group (SWS) in 2003 as part of an EU Save II project. Andrew Shepherd was involved with the programme from the outset and was at the time an employee of SWS and became the 1st accredited eea Advisor in Ireland.

SWS successfully managed and expanded the eea Programme with 3 municipalities obtaining Award status by the end of 2007. Andrew Shepherd set up an independent energy management consultancy (Select Energy Solutions) in 2004 and has continued to work as an eea Advisor in cooperation with SWS. During 2007 a decision was made to transfer the national coordinators role to Select Energy Solutions.

Select Energy Solutions look forward to working with the existing members of the eea programme in Ireland and with the other European partners with a view to other Irish municipalities joining the programme. The SWS Group has set up a solid foundation on which to build.

May 2008: Letterkenny Town Council 4^th Municipality in Ireland to Receive European Energy Award^®:

The eea Award was presented to the Mayor of Letterkenny Town Council at an official awarding ceremony that took place on the 12^th May 2008. Letterkenny Town Council were successfully audited in December 2007 and became the 4^th municipality in Ireland to reach the standards required to attain the award.