Ireland is a net energy importer. Ireland's import dependency decreased to 85% in 2014 (from 89% in 2013). The cost of all energy imports to Ireland was approximately €5.7 billion, down from €6.5 billion (revised) in 2013 due mainly to falling oil and, to a lesser extent, gas import prices.[1]Consumption of all fuels fell in 2014 with the exception of peat, renewables and non-renewable wastes.[1]
Final consumption of electricity in 2017 was 26 TWh, a 1.1% increase on the previous year. Renewable electricity generation, consisting of wind, hydro,landfill gas, biomass andbiogas, accounted for 30.1% of gross electricity consumption.[2] In 2019, it was 31 TWh with renewables accounting for 37.6% of consumption.[3]
Energy-relatedCO2 emissions decreased by 2.1% in 2017 to a level 17% above 1990 levels. Energy-related CO2 emissions were 18% below 2005 levels.[2]60% of Irishgreenhouse gas emissions are caused by energy consumption.[4]
|
|
|
CO2 emissions: |
Ireland had a plan to reduce by 30% its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 2005. This was improved, with a new target aiming for Ireland to achieve a 7% annual average reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2021 and 2030.[6]
There have been four commercial natural gas discoveries since exploration began offshore Ireland in the early 1970s; namely the Kinsale Head, Ballycotton and Seven Heads producing gas fields off the coast of Cork and the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo.[7]
The only remaining productive natural gas/Fossil gas field in Ireland is theCorrib gas project. TheKinsale Head gas field is now depleted and was decommissioned in 2023.[8] Since the Corrib gas field came on stream in 2016, Ireland reduced its energy import dependency from 88% in 2015 to 69% in 2016.[9]
The Corrib Gas Field was discovered off the west coast of Ireland in 1996. Approximately 70% of the size of the Kinsale Head field, it has an estimated producing life of just over 15 years.[citation needed] Production began in 2015.[10] The project was operated byRoyal Dutch Shell until 2018, and from 2018 onwards byVermilion Energy.[11]
The indigenous production of gas from 1990 to 2019 is shown on the graph. Figures are in thousandtonnes of oil equivalent.[12]
 | This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
Since 1991 Ireland has imported natural gas by pipeline from the BritishNational Transmission System in Scotland. This was from the Interconnector IC1 commissioned in 1991 and Interconnector IC2 commissioned in 2003.
The import of gas from 1990 to 2019 is shown on the graph. Figures are in thousandtonnes of oil equivalent.[12]
| This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
Ireland usespeat, a fuel composed of decayed plants and other organic matter which is usually found in swampy lowlands known as bogs, as energy which is not common in Europe. Peat in Ireland was historically used for two main purposes – to generate electricity and as a fuel for domestic heating. The raised bogs in Ireland are located mainly in the midlands.
Bord na Móna is a commercial semi-state company that was established under the Turf Development Act 1946. The company was responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat in Ireland.[13] TheNational Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), under the remit of theMinister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, deals with Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas under the Habitats Directive. Restrictions have been imposed on the harvesting of peat in certain areas under relevant designations.[13]
TheWest Offaly Power Station was refused permission to continue burning peat for electricity and closed in December 2020.[14]
Edenderry was the last power station to fired by peat in Ireland.Bord na Móna had been co-firing peat with biomass atEdenderry for more than 5 years[13] but from 2023 it has been fired solely with biomass.[15]
Coal remains an important solid fuel that is still used in home heating by a certain portion of households. In order to improve air quality, certain areas are banned from burning so-called 'smoky coal.' The regulations and policy relating to smoky fuel are dealt with by theMinister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.[16]
Ireland has a single coal-fired power plant atMoneypoint, Co. Clare which is operated byESB Power Generation. At 915MW output, it is Ireland's largest power station. The station was originally built in the 1980s as part of a fuel diversity strategy and was significantly refurbished during the 2000s to make it fit for purpose in terms of environmental regulations and standards. Moneypoint is considered to have a useful life until at least 2025[16] but ESB Power Generation has indicated that it intends to close Moneypoint and convert it to a green energy hub.[17]
Coal fired power stations will cease by 2025.[6]
There have been no commercial discoveries of oil in Ireland to date.[7]
One Irish oil explorer isProvidence Resources, with CEOTony O'Reilly, Junior and among the main ownersTony O'Reilly with a 40% stake.[18]
The oil industry in Ireland is based on the import, production and distribution of refined petroleum products. Oil and petroleum products are imported viaoil terminals around the coast. Some crude oil is imported for processing at Ireland's only oil refinery atWhitegate Cork.[19]
| Achievement | Year | Achievement | Year | Achievement | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 2009 | 10% | 2017 | 15% | not achieved yet[5] |
Renewable energy includes wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy sources.
Under the original 2009Renewable Energy Directive Ireland had set a target of producing 16% of all its energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2020 but that has been updated by a second Renewable Energy Directive whose targets are 32% by 2030. Between 2005 and 2014 the percentage of energy from renewable energy sources grew from just 3.1% to 8.6% of total final consumption. By 2020 the overall renewable energy share was 13.5%, short of its Renewable Energy Drive target of 16%.[20] Renewable electricity accounted for 69% of all renewable energy used in 2020, up from two thirds (66.8%) in 2019.[20]
The country has a large and growing installedwind power capacity at 4,405 MW by the end of 2021 producing 31% of all its electricity needs in that year.[21] By February 2024, there was 1GW ofsolar PV capacity connected to the grid.[22] By April 2024, the grid had 1GW of storage capacity with almost 750MW of that capacity in the form of battery storage[23] the rest supplied byTurlough Hill Power Station.
Non-renewable energy refers to energy generated from domestic and commercial waste in Energy-from-Waste plants. TheDublin Waste-to-Energy Facility burns waste to provide heat to generate electricity and providedistrict heating for areas of Dublin.
The contribution of non-renewable energy to Ireland’s energy supply is show by the graph. The quantity of energy is in thousandtonnes of oil equivalent.[12]
| This graph was using thelegacy Graph extension, which is no longer supported. It needs to be converted to thenew Chart extension. |
Photovoltaic (PV) modules on domestic roofs are becoming more common, following the removal of VAT and an increase in grants, with 60,000 homes fitted by summer 2023, increasing at 500 per week, with a 2023 capacity of 700MW that is generating 600,000Mwh. AUniversity College Cork satellite survey identified 1 million homes with a suitable orientation to suit 10 roof panels.[24]
As of 2021[update], the island of Ireland had 5,585 MW of installedwind power capacity, with 4,309 MW in theRepublic of Ireland. In 2020, wind provided over 86% of Ireland's renewable electricity and generated 36.3% of Ireland's electricity demand, one of the highest percentages globally.[25][26] In 2023, Wind Energy Ireland confirmed that wind farms provided 35 per cent of Ireland and Northern Ireland's electricity in 2023, totalling a record breaking 13,725 gigawatt-hours (GWh).[27] Ireland has over 300wind farms, mostly onshore. APublic Service Obligation subsidy supportsrenewable energy and wind power development, driven by concerns over energy, security, andclimate change mitigation.[28]
TheDepartment of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have responsibility for the Forest Service and forestry policy in Ireland.Coillte (a commercial state company operating in forestry, land based businesses, renewable energy and panel products) and Coford (the Council for Forest Research and Development) also fall under that Department's remit.
Wood is used by households that rely on solid fuels for home heating. It is used in open fireplaces, stoves and biomass boilers.
In 2014, the Department produced a draft bioenergy strategy. In compiling the strategy, the Department worked closely with the Department of Agriculture in terms of the potential of sustainable wood biomass for energy purposes.[29]
Final consumption of electricity in 2014 was 24 TWh. Electricity demand which peaked in 2008 has since returned to 2004 levels. Renewable electricity generation, consisting of wind, hydro,landfill gas, biomass and biogas, accounted for 22.7% of gross electricity consumption.[1]
The use of renewables in electricity generation in 2014 reduced CO2 emissions by 2.6 Mt. In 2014, wind generation accounted for 18.2% of electricity generated and as such was the second largest source of electricity generation after natural gas.[1]
The carbon intensity of electricity fell by 49% since 1990 to a new low of 457 g CO2/kWh in 2014.[1]
Ireland is connected to the adjacentUK National Grid at anelectricity interconnection level of 9% (transmission capacity relative to production capacity).[30] In 2016, Ireland and France agreed to advance the planning of theCeltic Interconnector, which if realized will provide the two countries with a 700 MW transmission capacity by 2025.[31]
The utilityESB operates apumped storage station in Co. Wicklow calledTurlough Hill with 292 MW peak power capacity.[32] ACompressed air energy storage project insalt caverns nearLarne received €15m of funding from EU. It won a further €90m from the EU in 2017 as a project of common interest (PCI).[33] It was intended to provide a 250-330 MW buffer for 6–8 hours in the electricity system.[34] This project has since been cancelled due to the company in charge of the project, Gaelectric, entering administration in 2017.[33]
Statkraft completed a 11MW, 5.6MWh lithium-ionbattery energy storage system in April 2020.[35] ESB has developed a battery facility on the site of its Aghada gas-fired power station in Co. Cork.
Several other battery energy storage systems are in development. ESB and partner company Fluence are developing a further 60 MWh of battery capacity at Inchicore in Dublin, a 150 MWh / 75 MW plant in Poolbeg, Dublin,[36] and a 38 MWh plant at Aghada. These facilities are primarily aimed at providingancillary grid services.[37]
The depleted Kinsale gas field was used as a natural gas storage facility until its closure in 2017.[38] Since then, there has been no dedicated large-scale natural gas storage capacity in the country. A government-commissioned report on security of energy supply recommended the development of a strategic gas storage facility or the use of aFloating Storage and Regasification Unit.[39]
Imported crude oil and petroleum products are stored atoil terminals around the coast.[40] A strategic reserve of petroleum products, equivalent to 90 days usage, is stored at some of these terminals. TheNational Oil Reserves Agency is responsible for the strategic reserve.[41] The largest energy store in Ireland is the coal reserve for Moneypoint power station.[17]
In 2010 the country's carbon tax was introduced[42] at €15 per tonne of CO2 emissions[43] (approx. US$20 per tonne).[44]
The tax applies to kerosene, marked gas oil, liquid petroleum gas, fuel oil, and natural gas. The tax does not apply to electricity because the cost of electricity is already included in pricing under theSingle Electricity Market (SEM). Similarly, natural gas users are exempt if they can prove they are using the gas to "generate electricity, for chemical reduction, or for electrolytic or metallurgical processes".[45] Partial relief is granted for natural gas covered by a greenhouse gas emissions permit issued by theEnvironmental Protection Agency. Such gas will be taxed at the minimum rate specified in the EU Energy Tax Directive, which is €0.54 per megawatt-hour at grosscalorific value."[46] Pure biofuels are also exempt.[47] The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) estimated costs between €2 and €3 a week per household:[48] a survey from the Central Statistics Office reports that Ireland's average disposable income was almost €48,000 in 2007.[49]
Activist group Active Retirement Ireland proposed a pensioner's allowance of €4 per week for the 30 weeks currently covered by the fuel allowance and that home heating oil be covered under the Household Benefit Package.[50]
The tax is paid by companies. Payment for the first accounting period was due in July 2010. Fraudulent violation is punishable by jail or a fine.[51]
The NGO Irish Rural Link[52] noted that according to ESRI a carbon tax would weigh more heavily on rural households.[53] They claim that other countries have shown that carbon taxation succeeds only if it is part of a comprehensive package that includes reducing other taxes.[54]
In 2011, the coalition government ofFine Gael andLabour raised the tax to €20/tonne. Farmers were granted tax relief.[55]
TheMinister for Finance introduced, with effect from 1 May 2013, a solid fuel carbon tax (SFCT). TheRevenue Commissioners have responsibility for administering the tax. It applies to coal and peat and is chargeable per tonne of product.[13]
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) was established as Ireland's national energy authority under the Sustainable Energy Act 2002. SEAI's mission is to play a leading role in transforming Ireland into a society based on sustainable energy structures, technologies and practices. To fulfil this mission SEAI aims to advise the Government, and deliver a range of programmes aimed at a wide range of stakeholders.[56]
TheSingle Electricity Market encompassing the entireisland of Ireland does not, and has never, produced any electricity fromnuclear power stations. The production of electricity for theIrish national grid (Eirgrid), bynuclear fission, is prohibited in theRepublic of Ireland by theElectricity Regulation Act, 1999 (Section 18).[57] The enforcement of this law is only possible within theborders of Ireland, and it does not prohibit consumption. Since2001 in Northern Ireland and2012 in the Republic, the grid has become increasinglyinterconnected with the neighbouringelectric grid of Britain, and therefore Ireland is now partly powered by overseasnuclear fission stations.[58][59]
A ‘Eurobarometer’ survey in 2007 indicated that 27 percent of the citizens of Ireland were in favour of an “increased use” of nuclear energy.[60]
As of 2014, aGeneration IV nuclear station was envisaged in competition with abiomass burning facility to succeed Ireland's single largest source of greenhouse gases, the coal burningMoneypoint power station, when it retires, c. 2025.[61][62]
In 2015 a National Energy Forum was founded to decide upon generation mixes to be deployed in the Republic of Ireland,[63] out to 2030. This forum has yet to be convened (Oct 2016).
| Companies | |
|---|---|
| Currency & taxation | |
| Banking | |
| Policy | |
| Proposed | |
| Development demographics | |
| Localised | |
| People and labour |
|
| Sectors | |
| Co-operatives | |
| History | |
