Bord Gáis to create 250 jobs

Bord Gáis is to create up to 250 new jobs by the end of next year as part of a major energy efficiency initiative.

The company intends to cash in on the fact that more than half the homes in the Republic have poor Building Energy Ratings (BER), which means that they use more energy than necessary and thus cost more to run.

A high proportion of them need to be refitted in order to meet the standards set under the BER system. Another State agency, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is making more than €100 million in grants available to householders who need to upgrade their homes.

Bord Gáis chief executive John Mullins said today the company will provide a "one-stop-shop" for energy efficiency home services, which will take in everything from carrying out an initial BER inspection to identifying and completing the work that needs to be done to each individual home.

"It will reduce people's carbon footprint, but more importantly, it will cut their energy bills," Mr Mullins told The Irish Timesearlier.

The initiative is an expansion of its existing home services business, where it supplies customers with energy products and appliances. The Home Services Initiative, due to begin in 2010, will help homeowners improve energy efficiency, with a range of 22 separate energy saving products and services.

Bord Gáis already provides appliance servicing for gas boilers in more than 75,000 homes each year. The new initiative will be an expansion of this service.

Bord Gáis will also invest €2.5 billion over the next five years in six major projects, including €1.2 billion in wind energy and €400 million in the Whitegate power production plant.

The announcement was welcomed by Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan.

"Energy efficiency allows people to reduce their energy demand as they save money. It reduces our fossil fuel bill while fuelling the economy - bringing jobs to the construction sector and keeping our homes warm. These are green jobs in the green economy and I congratulate Bord Gáis on embracing this exciting future," he said.