Schools must report annual values for energy use (energy consumption), broken down by energy type, for each year.
This help page provides guidance on the different energy types that can be reported via the system. For step-by-step guidance on entering data into the system, see report your data.
Consumption must be reported for all energy and fuel types, including fossil fuels, renewable energy and electricity from all sources. It includes energy used for heating, transport and all electrical applications. Most schools only use two or three different energy types. Some schools only use electricity.
The energy types that schools can report are grouped into eight categories on the choose energy types data input screen:
Guidance on reporting each energy type is provided below.
The CO2 emissions arising from the consumption that you report are calculated automatically by the system, i.e. there is no requirement for you to calculate or report CO2 emissions separately.
There are two options for reporting electricity that is purchased from the public electricity system (grid electricity): ‘MPRN electricity’ and ‘Non-MPRN electricity’.
The easiest way to report your electricity consumption is to enter and validate your MPRNs. An MPRN is a unique number assigned to your school's electricity connection. The consumption data corresponding to the MPRN(s) reported by you is provided to SEAI by the electricity meter operator (ESB Networks). So, there is no need for you to manually report the amount of electricity consumed. The vast majority of small schools, and many larger schools, have one MPRN only.
From time to time, MPRNs are entered into the system for which the meter operators cannot provide consumption data to SEAI. There can be several reasons for this:
You can review rejected MPRNs in the electricity meters (MPRNs) - no data provided data report. You should take the following steps if an MPRN is rejected:
As an alternative to reporting and validating MPRNs, you can self-report a single annual value for non-MPRN electricity for a year. The value reported should account for all electricity consumption not reported via MPRN(s). Be careful not to double count your consumption, i.e. do not validate MPRNs and self-report for the same usage.
You can work out your consumption by recording meter readings or by reviewing your supplier bills. You may also be able to access consumption data from an online energy bill tool provided by your electricity supplier.
Report the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of non-MPRN electricity consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
You should select this energy type if your school has solar PV panels on its roof.
If the data is available, report the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity generated by such solar PV system(s) each year using the energy use data input screen.
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is piped through the national distribution network directly to some schools. There are two options for reporting natural gas consumption: ‘GPRN natural gas’ and ‘Non-GPRN natural gas’.
The easiest way to report your natural gas consumption is to enter and validate your GPRNs. A GPRN is a unique number assigned to your school's natural gas connection, if you have one. The consumption data corresponding to the GPRN(s) reported by you is provided to SEAI by the natural gas meter operator (Gas Networks Ireland). So, there is no need for you to manually report the amount of natural gas consumed. The vast majority of schools that use natural gas have one GPRN only.
From time to time, GPRNs are entered into the system for which the meter operators cannot provide consumption data to SEAI. There can be several reasons for this:
You can review rejected GPRNs in the gas meters (GPRNs) - no data provided data report. You should take the following steps if an GPRN is rejected:
As an alternative to reporting and validating GPRNs, you can self-report a single annual value for non-GPRN natural gas for a year. The value reported should account for all natural gas consumption not reported via GPRN(s). Be careful not to double count your consumption, i.e. do not validate GPRNs and self-report for the same usage.
You can work out your consumption by recording meter readings or by reviewing your supplier bills. You may also be able to access consumption data from an online energy bill tool provided by your natural gas supplier.
Report the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of non-GPRN natural gas consumed by your organisation each year using the energy use data input screen.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a fossil fuel that is stored under pressure as a liquid in cylinders or bulk tanks and is delivered to some schools in small cylinders (sold in kilogrammes) or in tankers from which it is transferred to bulk tanks onsite (sold in litres). It is typically used for heating.
For LPG stored in bulk tanks, the best way to report LPG is by taking readings from the meter. If you don’t have a meter or sufficient meter readings you should estimate the consumption from your LPG bills. Remember that the billed quantities will not necessarily match your consumption in a specific year because your tanks could have different levels at the start and end of the year. Only the fuel consumed in each calendar year should be reported.
You should keep a record of LPG deliveries over time. This will assist you to better understand how LPG consumption changes on a monthly basis throughout the year and you will be able to make progressively better estimates of how much was consumed between deliveries.
Report the litres of LPG consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
LPG can also be delivered to end users in small cylinders. The quantity of LPG stored in cylinders is written on the cylinders in kilogrammes. Invoices (bills) should also have this information. Multiplying this by the total number cylinders used will give you the total weight used in a year in kilogrammes.
Report the kilogrammes of LPG consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
BioLPG is a renewable form of LPG that can be used to heat schools. It is often sold as a blended mixture with conventional (fossil) LPG. Your supply documentation should indicate the blend rate.
Report the litres of bioLPG blend consumed by your school each year and the percentage of bioLPG in the blend using the energy use data input screen. The litre value reported should represent the total number of litres of bioLPG and (fossil) LPG consumed as a blend. The percentage could range from 0% (0% bio, 100% fossil) to 100% (100% bio, 0% fossil).
The best way to calculate your oil consumption is by taking readings from a meter, if you have one. If you don’t have a meter or sufficient meter readings you should estimate the consumption from your oil bills. Remember that the billed quantities will not necessarily match your consumption in a specific year because your tank could have different levels at the start and end of the year. Only the fuel consumed in each calendar year should be reported.
There are two different types of heating oil used in schools - kerosene and gasoil. If you are not sure which type of heating oil you use, you can either ack your supplier or check the colour of the fuel.
Kerosene is reddish in colour. Report the litres of kerosene consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
Gasoil is dyed green in colour. Report the litres of gasoil consumed by your organisation each year using the energy use data input screen.
Wood chips are a renewable fuel comprising small pieces of wood that can be used in boilers for space and water heating. Wood chips are available in several different specifications. The key parameter in specifying wood chip supplies is the moisture content: the higher the moisture content, the less energy content per unit weight. They are sold by weight and can have moisture contents of between 30-60%, depending on the source of the chips and the duration and nature of their storage prior to use. Typical moisture content is 35%.
There are two options for reporting wood chips on the M&R system:
Wood pellets are a manufactured product comprising wood shavings and sawdust that have been formed into pellets. They are sold by weight and typically used for heating in boilers and stoves.
Report the tonnes of wood pellets consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
Other solid biomass is a generic energy type that can be reported via M&R. It can be used to report biomass consumption that does not correspond to any of the specific biomass energy types reportable via M&R. Report the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of other solid biomass consumed by your organisation each year using the energy use data input screen.
A district heating network is a system where one or more centrally located boilers (or other heat sources) distribute hot water to different properties that are located within a community, i.e. multiple properties (homes, schools, offices, other buildings, etc.) are connected to a single piped hot-water network. The individual properties use the piped hot water to heat their buildings.
If your school is connected to a district heating network, it should report the heat purchased as 'district heat imported'. Report the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of district heat used by your school each year.
Solar thermal technology converts the sun's energy into useful heat energy, typically for heating hot water. If your school uses a solar thermal system and you can work out how much energy it provides (many are unmetered), report the kWh of solar thermal energy consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
Diesel and petrol are sold in litres. If your school purchases fuels through a fuel card system, this is the easiest way to calculate consumption. You should be able to access all your purchases. If you do not operate a fuel card system, you can review your bills to determine the number of litres purchased in each transaction. Trip computers on vehicles can also be used to calculate fuel consumption.
Road diesel is the diesel used in nearly all diesel-engined road vehicles. Report the litres of road diesel (standard spec) consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.
Petrol refers to the petrol used in nearly all petrol-engined road vehicles. Report the litres of petrol consumed by your school each year using the energy use data input screen.