Dingle Peninsula 2030 / Corca Dhuibhne 2030

Established in 2018, Dingle Peninsula 2030 (or Corca Dhuibhne 2030) is an innovative multi-partner initiative (Watson et al., 2020). The initial phase (2018 -2021) involved Ireland’s electricity distribution system operator (ESB Networks), researchers from MaREI (SFI’s centre for energy, climate, and marine) and local non-profit organisations supporting enterprise (Mol Teic/Dingle Creativity & Innovation Hub) and community development (NEWKD).

The core goal of the project was to work with the local community, schools, businesses, and farmers to explore, support and enable the broader societal changes emanating from the energy transition. 

Over the three years (2018 – 2021) a wide range of energy and community engagement initiatives were coordinated by this partnership (Watson et al., 2021), these include:

• Developing the Dingle Peninsula Energy Master Plan (McGookin et al., 2020)
• Trials with 5 Ambassadors and other local participants of home energy monitors, solar PV, heat pumps and electric vehicles (Boyle et al., 2021b), (Boyle et al., 2021c)
• Developing a ‘Climate Hack’ programme in local secondary schools (McGookin C., 2020)
• Initiating a pilot Farm Ambassador Programme, to increase agricultural sustainability and productivity 
• Completing a feasibility study for an anaerobic digester (XD Consulting, 2020), (Watson, de Bhailís and Tuohy, 2021a)
• Training ten local energy mentors to support people with home energy improvements (Watson, de Bhailís and Tuohy, 2021b) 
• Delivering community meetings on the Peninsula, to develop a plan for a sustainable future (Ó Caoimh and McGookin, 2021), (McGookin et al., 2021), (McGookin et al., 2022) 

Critically, it has spawned other local efforts. Although the initial focus of the partnership was on energy projects a wide range of new initiatives emerged as community members became engaged in the process.

There are now ongoing initiatives across energy, transport, agriculture, education, tourism and employment, in what Boyle et al. coin the ‘diffusion of sustainability’ (Boyle et al., 2021a), (Boyle et al., 2022). The most notable of which is the dairy farming sustainable energy community (roughly 120 farmers) brought together by ESBN and farming ambassador, Dinny Galvin. This demonstrates the value of supporting local champions.