COOK Medical and the IDA have announced a €3million investment in renewable and energy-saving technologies which will offset half of the Castletroy-based manufacturing facility’s carbon emissions.
Advanced technologies, including one megawatt of solar panels, a heat pump upgrade, and electronically commutated fans, will be installed.
The project, which is subject to planning approval from Limerick City and County Council, is part of Cook’s social impact and sustainability programme that commits to making sustainable and inventive choices across the organisation to protect the environment by reducing its carbon footprint and achieving impactful environmental goals.
This project is expected to offset up to 269 tonnes of carbon annually, and over its 25-year life cycle it will remove a total of 6,725 tonnes of carbon.
Coupled with the procurement of additional green energy technologies, this will result in the removal of 60 per cent of the carbon from the Cook Ireland site. This project is supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland.
Minister for Enterprise Tourism and Employment Peter Burke said that “it is really encouraging to see initiatives being taken by companies focused on carbon reduction measures, sustainability, and protecting the environment for future generations”.
Commenting on the project, Bill Doherty, executive vice president and managing director of Cook Medical Europe, said: ‘’We are committed to making sustainable choices across our business and reducing our impact on the environment.”
“The company is committed to enhancing and maintaining the biodiversity of its site and will continue to safeguard the environment in its plans. In addition to reseeding native wildflowers in all areas under construction, the company will also preserve walking tracks and spaces for wildlife.”
CEO of IDA Ireland Michael Lohan added that “this proposed project will position Cook’s Irish operations as an exemplar with its global network, and as a key location of subject matter expertise around energy management systems’.’
Upon completion of this project, Cook Ireland will reduce its annual import of electricity by 19 per cent and release that capacity back to the grid. A 70 per cent reduction in the annual use of natural gas consumption is expected from the installation of the heat pumps.
