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Noel Dempsey launches the campaign with Daithí O'Sé in 2006. Photocall Ireland
Energy
€10 million State energy campaign had no impact – ESRI
Then Minister for communications, marine and natural resources Noel Dempsey promised it would be a “sea change”, but the nation’s top think-tank says the Power of One campaign changed nothing.
Updated 20.10pm
A STATE-SPONSORED campaign that was to see Ireland drastically reduce energy consumption had no effect, the ESRI has concluded.
A paper from the think-tank says the the Power of One campaign, launched to great fanfare in 2006, had no “persistent effect” on the energy usage of Irish people.
The campaign was funded by €10.75 million over the two years it was in effect, with over €3 million of that being spent on advertising.
The ad campaign focused on encouraging people to switch off lights, televisions off instead of onto standby and removing phone chargers from the wall.
However, the ESRI paper found that while the campaign increased awareness around the issue, it did little to curb the overuse of electricity.
It added that this increase in awareness is likely to decline over time.
Researchers studied Bord Gais gas consumption, factoring in weather and other factors such as income.
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