Energy

SMEs are part of the industrial/commercial sector within Ireland. SMEs generally use energy through heating and cooling, lighting, food service, kitchen equipment, pumps, compressed air, office equipment such as photocopiers, computers and printers, heating and cooling of water and any number of electrical devices specific to certain businesses. SMEs also use energy through small-scale industrial processes, such as chemical processing, manufacturing, food and drink processing, water purification, electrolysis and materials moulding. Although not as energy intensive as industrial processes, the cumulative energy used by SMEs can result in a large amount of emissions.

Due to the economic slowdown, emissions from the industrial/commercial sector reached a twenty year low of 9.25 Mt in 2009. Detailed reports on contemporary emissions can be found at www.epa.ie.