Despite the increased take-up of renewable energy, more than 80 per cent of Ireland’s energy supply last year came from traditional fossil fuels, according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
The SEAI’s latest “energy balance” analysis warned that Ireland’s move to decarbonise its energy supply and reduce emissions was not happening fast enough and that significant additional investment in wind, solar and other renewable sources would be needed if the State was to hit its 2030 climate targets.
While a record 23.38 terawatt hours (TWh) of energy across electricity, transport and heat came from renewable sources in 2023, up from 21.68 in 2022, the report indicated the overall renewable energy share (Res-overall) was just 14.6 per cent, while 82.6 per cent came from fossil fuel sources.
Under the EU’s binding Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland needs to achieve a Res-overall result of 43 per cent by 2030.
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The SEAI’s energy statistics show energy-related emissions fell by almost 8 per cent in 2023, marking a record rate of reduction. Emissions were down 17 per cent so far this year, according to half-year figures.
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The reduced rate of overall emissions was largely driven by lower emissions from the electricity sector. This was driven by increased use of imported electricity supply across the State’s interconnectors with the UK as well as increased renewable energy generation from wind and solar here in Ireland.
Despite increased levels of fossil fuel blending with more sustainable biodiesel and bioethanol, there was a slight increase in transport emissions, the SEAI said, noting Ireland’s road transport energy remains over 90 per cent reliant on fossil fuels.
Aviation energy reached a record high last year, “a concerning trend at a time when we need to be reducing energy demand across all modes of travel,” it said, noting a record 1.35 billion litres of jet fuels were used at Irish airport (equivalent to a bath tub or 250 litres of jet kerosene for every single person in Ireland).
On the heating front, the agency noted that residential use of coal, peat, oil, and natural gas for heating and hot water all dropped in 2023 while the amount of renewable energy used in Irish homes from heat pumps increased by over 30 per cent albeit from a low base.
Provisional 2024 data, however, suggest a return to growth in gas and oil for home.
The SEAI’s report noted that the reduced level of emissions for 2023 demonstrated “progress towards energy decarbonisation in Ireland”.
“However, the patterns emerging of how we use energy across electricity, heat and transport show significant changes and even higher rates of reduction are needed to successfully bridge the gap between our current performance and achieving our binding climate commitments,” it said.
Of the 23.38 terawatt hours of renewable energy generated last year, wind accounted for just under half (49.9 per cent), followed by biodiesel (13.4 per cent) and biomass (11 per cent).
“While 2023 saw much progress in renewable energy use, with new records sets for wind, solar-PV, biofuel blending, and renewable ambient heat from heat-pumps, Ireland cannot deliver on its commitments to reducing emissions and increasing renewable energy share without an unprecedented increase in the rate of roll-out of renewable resources and energy demand reduction measures,” the report said.
Commenting on the latest figures, Margie McCarthy, the SEAI’s director of research and policy insights, said: “Firstly, we welcome a new personal best for Ireland in terms of energy-related emissions reductions. We need to find the right measure of marking this progress, while recognising it’s the start of the journey to being able to celebrate success in 2030. At the moment, we are falling far short of where we need to be.”
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