Bigger bills at Dublin Zoo as this year’s Wild Lights powered by vegetable oil

THE rest of the country might be trying to avoid huge energy costs this winter, but the organisers of Dublin Zoo’s Wild Lights show are actually opting for higher bills.

In a bid to help save the country’s energy supply, the planners of the annual lights show are taking the event ‘off grid’ and running its lights on 100% sustainable but more expensive hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

A spokesman for the event, which attracts thousands annually, said: ‘It would have cost us significantly less to run Wild Lights off the national grid in comparison to HVO.

‘But given the potential for electricity shortage issues this winter, we decided to invest in sustainable alternative means to power the event,’ he told the Irish Mail on Sunday.

‘Dublin Zoo has made a significant investment to ensure the Wild Lights event can run as efficiently as possible and has no impact on energy supply – it will be taken off-grid.

‘We will also turn off the lights an hour earlier than usual each day.’

Last year, the event used three mil LED lights to illuminate the zoo but these will mostly be replaced by HVO-fuelled lights this year. HVO is made from synthesized waste fats and vegetable oil.

Another Dubliner who is refusing to switch off his Christmas lights despite the rising costs, is 87-year-old William Tilly.

Over the past 10 years his famous Christmas display off Bath Avenue in Irishtown, has raised more than €155,000 for the local hospital.

Mr Tilly asked: ‘Why should I turn my lights off and stop the little children smiling?

‘It would break my heart and it would break theirs. They pass by here and say, “Hello, Mr Tilly when’s Santy coming?” Who would take that away?

‘You can tell them, Mr Tilly is keeping them on!’

His local pub, The Bath, has promised him €1,000 to help with his bill this year.

In previous years, his electricity bill was approximately €500 but he expects that to double this year.

Mr Tilly hopes to keep the lights running from 5pm to 11.30pm from early December until early January.

‘If I get away with €1,000, I’ll be happy,’ he said.