ActionZero partnership saves Cork Airport almost €4m in energy costs

The actions resulting from a long-standing partnership between Irish-owned climate technology company ActionZero and Cork Airport has helped to reduce the airport’s carbon emissions by more than half in the decade from 2009 to 2019. 

ActionZero was formed in 2021, following the merger of Energy Services and Straightline Energy Solutions. Cork Airport began working with Energy Services more than ten years ago and ActionZero continues to guide and support the facility today. 

The partnership has achieved a cumulative energy cost saving of approximately €3.9m and reduced the airport’s carbon emissions by 56% vs 2009 emissions, or 4,003 metric tonnes, which equates to taking more than 800 cars off the road for a year. Cork Airport has also successfully achieved ‘Reduction’ status as part of the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme every year since 2011 and is working towards net-zero emissions. 

This year, Cork Airport was ranked as the best performing commercial state body in Ireland for energy savings by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.  

Roy O’Driscoll, Acting Managing Director at Cork Airport said, “We’re fully committed to reducing our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment. We’re delighted to work with ActionZero (formerly Energy Services) to achieve our 2030 energy reduction targets as set out by the Climate Action Plan. Together, I am confident that we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2018.

CEO of ActionZero, Denis Collins added, “This is a paramount moment for climate action across the public sector and industry. It’s time to lead and take action. At ActionZero, we’re proud to have a comprehensive portfolio with our patented EscoPod, Consulting and Analytics offerings enabling our clients to take action for decarbonisation, with minimal retro-fit or fabric changes. Our partnership with Cork Airport is an important one, making a difference over many years.  We’re looking forward to continuing to work with Cork Airport as it moves towards a future free from greenhouse gas emissions. Cork Airport shares our passion for combining commercial opportunity and social good. Not only has the facility saved almost €4m in energy costs, it has successfully reduced its carbon emissions by 56%.”

Cork Airport, with the support of ActionZero has developed a comprehensive Carbon Management Plan that promotes energy efficiency throughout the campus and supports other scheduled energy reduction, water conservation and waste reduction initiatives.

ActionZero is headquartered in Cork city and has recently established a manufacturing, research and development centre in Tralee, Co Kerry. The company’s primary focus is developing energy solutions across industry and enterprise. ActionZero’s innovative heat pump technologies generate heat in a process that eliminates the need for fossil fuel. In particular, it offers a solution for difficult to decarbonise high temperature heat across a range of market sectors.