ENERGY IN IRELAND 2018 Report
ENERGY IN IRELAND 2018 Report
ENERGY IN IRELAND
2018 Report
December 2018
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Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) SEAI is Ireland’s national energy authority investing in, and delivering, appropriate, effective and sustainable solutions to help Ireland’s transition to a clean energy future. We work with Government, homeowners, businesses and communities to achieve this, through expertise, funding, educational programmes, policy advice, research and the development of new technologies. SEAI is funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
SEAI is the official source of energy data for Ireland. We develop and maintain comprehensive national and sectoral statistics for energy production, transformation and end-use. These data are a vital input in meeting international reporting obligations, for advising policymakers and informing investment decisions. SEAI’s core statistics functions are to: •• Collect, process and publish energy statistics to support policy analysis and development in line with national needs and international obligations; •• Conduct statistical and economic analyses of energy services sectors and sustainable energy options; •• Contribute to the development and promulgation of appropriate sustainability indicators.
Acknowledgements SEAI gratefully acknowledges the cooperation of all the organisations, agencies, energy suppliers and distributors that provided data and responded to questionnaires throughout the year.
© Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, 2018
Reproduction of the contents is permissible provided the source is acknowledged.
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Foreword
In October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C. The report shows that we are already seeing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice. These changes are impacting humanity and ecosystems today. To avoid the risk of long-lasting or irreversible changes to the climate system, it is clear that we must make rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes across all aspects of society. The transition to clean energy is an essential part of this. This year’s Energy in Ireland report shows clearly the significant challenge facing Ireland to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for transport, heating and electricity production. In 2017, as Ireland’s economy continued to grow, energy demand in industry, services and transport all increased. Over 90% of all energy used in Ireland was from fossil fuels. Jim Gannon We made progress in 2017 in increasing renewable sources of electricity and establishing Ireland as a world leader in this sector. This, alongside other activities, resulted in a reduction in the CO2 intensity of our energy in Ireland of 2.6%, and specifically in our electricity sector of 10.2%. However, we still have a considerable way to go to meet our renewable energy targets, in particular for heat and transport which account for 80% of final energy demand. The recent announcement of seven major climate change projects that will share €77 million government funding through the climate action fund, including major projects on district heating, electrification of transport and renewable sources for heat, is a welcome step in the right direction. This comes as part of the Government of Ireland’s National Development Plan which commits to investing €7.6 billion of exchequer funding between now and 2027 to transition Ireland to a low carbon society, with an additional €8.6 billion to deliver sustainable public transport. The bottom line is that change must come, and we need to continue to use less as we develop our local renewable sources of energy. This development will create significant economic opportunity, and will support the transition to a more sustainable economy – one that is not wedded to fossil fuel use. Each of us, in our homes and businesses, have opportunities to be more sustainable in our use of energy. No one organisation or policy can address the problem of climate change in isolation. Supports funded by the Government of Ireland are available now to help with this, and all of us as citizens, businesses and motorists need to make choices consistent with a sustainable energy future. Over 400,000 householders have already taken action through Government grant schemes to upgrade their homes and more than 10,000 people are active around the country within our sustainable energy communities network. There remains an open invitation, and a wide range of supports for anyone willing to act. As part of our statutory mandate, SEAI is committed to the development and provision of high quality data, such as that contained in this report. This insight ensures that policy formation, decision-making and our energy transition are evidence-based. We will continue to work across Government, and with other stakeholders, to ensure that this activity continues to accelerate our transition to a more economically and environmentally sustainable future.
Jim Gannon Chief Executive Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
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