Characteristics of Fair Shares

Government Policies

• The high energy prices and the certainty that they will tend to rise still further causes a rush of renewable energy projects to go ahead. Eirgrid is mandated to take their power. Net metering is introduced to encourage households to install small wind turbines and PV panels which supply power to the grid when it is not required for the household’s own use.
• Every building constructed after 2008 has to be built to ZED (i.e. Zero fossil Energy Demand) standards. In other words, the developers have to show that it can be lit and heated without the use of fossil energy and that its location will still be appropriate when the cost of transport, and running a car becomes very much higher than at present.
• No new contracts for major road-building projects or airport expansion are awarded. Instead, congestion charging is introduced where it is necessary to limit road or runway use and the proceeds are used to improve bus and rail transport.
• Except where there are acute skills shortages, the recruitment of labour from outside the EU ceases.

The Business Sector

• Business starts to make decisions on the basis of steadily rising energy costs if they are buying power, and steady rising energy prices if they are selling it. Because of Ireland’s favourable renewable energy potential. Some energy-intensive manufacturing companies move their operations here and develop their own supplies.
• Irish consumer demand falls because of the increased amount of everyone’s income going to pay for imported energy and for emissions permits. However, this fall is offset by increased demand from poorer countries who are now able to afford Irish goods and by demand from the renewable energy sector which is developing rapidly.
• Helped by government research contracts, Irish firms set out to develop and export new energy saving/generation technologies
• Air travel becomes steadily more expensive. The tourist sector reacts by offering longer-term activity and special interest holidays rather than weekend breaks.

Household

• We become obsessed with keeping warm in winter. New range of fleece developed from plants which is turned into housecoats that are both warm and stylish!
• The poor struggle to keep warm.
• Move people per household. Large houses built during boom times, now have 2 or 3 families living in them.
• Variable pricing for electricity with changes available on the internet and reported on radio.
• Conservatories become greenhouses.

Education

• Third level education moves towards a distributed model with many lectures, particularly in regional colleges, being provided via video link. Students spend more time in self-directed study using internet based programmes.
• Links are established with Colleges and Universities across the world to provide complete courses using various electronic media. Lectures are transmitted live to students, wherever they are, at home or at their local college, and they can participate by submitting questions to the lecturer and in online discussions afterwards.
• Content of courses at third level is mainly vocational with particular focus in skills for growing energy sector.
• Primary and Secondary education takes advantage of the many services provided by the internet but is focused on providing an education for life.