The Regional Energy Coordinator post is being created as part of the Midland Energy Agency (MEA). Laois County Council will be the lead authority, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between Laois County Council and the four other participating local authorities that comprise the Midland Energy Agency (the County Councils of Offaly, Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon.
The Regional Energy Coordinator, the MEA and the five local authorities will work in collaboration with the SEAI to deliver energy efficiency and energy reduction projects in the local authorities including via the Pathfinder Capital Funding Programme, operated by the SEAI. The public sector, including local authorities, has ambitious targets to work towards, including:Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030, Increase the improvement of energy efficiency in the public sector from the 33% target in 2020 to 50% by 2030, Prohibition of new fossil fuel heating systems in public buildings after 2023, prepare Buildings for 2050 (Net Zero Emissions).