Energy Master Plan

A community-led pathway to a cleaner, more secure energy future

As part of the wider Sustainable Energy Communities Northern Ireland (SEC NI) programme—led by Advice NI and funded by The National Lottery Community Fund—the Dolmens Climate Action Network is proud to be one of four pilot communities driving forward local energy solutions.

The SEC NI programme supports communities across Northern Ireland to respond to rising energy costs, fuel poverty, and the climate emergency by developing practical, low-carbon energy plans tailored to local needs.

Summary Report

“The aim is to reduce emissions, lower energy costs, strengthen energy security and create new opportunities for the local green economy.”

What is the Energy Master Plan?

The Energy Master Plan (EMP) is a community-led roadmap to reduce carbon emissions and improve how energy is used across the Mournes and Slieve Croob area in South-East County Down.

Developed for the Dolmens Climate Action Network by Action Renewables, the plan examines energy use across:

  • Homes
  • Businesses and community buildings
  • Transport

It provides a detailed picture of current energy challenges and sets out realistic, locally appropriate solutions.

Understanding our local energy challenges

The study highlights some key characteristics of the area:

  • A largely rural population, with homes spread across villages and countryside
  • Heavy reliance on home heating oil
  • Many properties built before modern insulation standards
  • Limited access to the natural gas network

As a result, homes in the area tend to use more energy and produce higher emissions than the Northern Ireland average.

Homes are the biggest contributor to energy use and carbon emissions locally, with many relying on fossil fuels and operating below modern efficiency standards.

At the same time:

  • Businesses and community buildings present strong opportunities for improvement, particularly through rooftop solar
  • Transport is heavily dependent on private cars, with relatively low uptake of electric vehicles

pounds spent on household energy each year in the Dolmens area

A practical and achievable approach

While the area has strong potential for renewable energy generation, the study found that constraints on the local electricity network currently limit the ability to export power from large-scale projects.

Because of this, the Energy Master Plan recommends a decentralised, community-focused approach, including:

  • Installing solar panels across multiple homes, farms, and buildings
  • Improving home energy efficiency (insulation, retrofits)
  • Transitioning to cleaner, low-carbon heating systems
  • Supporting the uptake of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure

This approach ensures progress can be made now, without waiting for major grid upgrades.

Delivering local benefits

The Energy Master Plan aligns with national and regional climate targets while putting community ownership and local benefit at its core.

By delivering the actions set out in the plan, the area can achieve:

  • Lower household energy bills
  • Reduced carbon emissions
  • Improved energy security
  • New opportunities for the local green economy
  • Community-led renewable energy projects
A model for rural communities

The Dolmens Climate Action Network is helping to demonstrate how rural communities can take meaningful, practical action on climate change.

By working together, we can create a more sustainable, resilient energy future for the Mournes and Slieve Croob area—and provide a model for other communities across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Looking Ahead: Next Steps

Future Plans for the Community Energy Master Plan

Project Events

Project Documents