Liquid Gas Ireland (LGI) will launch a report next week on the role of liquid gas in the ‘Just Transition’ to decarbonising the rural economy.
The report, titled Liquid gas – Making the ‘Just Transition’ more sustainable for rural Ireland, will be launched on Wednesday, January 25, during an event beginning at 8:30a.m.
The event in Dublin will feature a briefing and panel discussion on the content of the report.
It will outline how lower-carbon and renewable fuels like liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and BioLPG offer a sustainable and cost-effective pathway to decarbonising rural homes and businesses.
The report will also make a series of recommendations to government on the need for a mixed technology approach to support rural dwellings, particularly those located off the natural gas grid, in transitioning away from oil and other high-carbon fossil fuels.
The document will include research commissioned by LGI outlining alternative lower-cost options available to help a typical Irish property achieve a building energy rating (BER) up to B1.
This, the LGI said, is against the backdrop of a “one-size fits all approach” by government prioritising the installation of heat pumps, which for many older rural properties is too expensive or practically unviable.
The panel discussion at Wednesday’s launch will be moderated by Agriland editor Stella Meehan.
The panelists will be:
- Muieann Lynch, senior research officer (energy economics) at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI);
- Barry Cowen, Fianna Fáil TD for Laois-Offaly;
- Duncan Osborne, CEO of Calor Gas;
- John Rooney, Managing director at Flogas Ireland.
LGI is the association representing companies operating in the LPG and BioLPG industry in Ireland.
Its members include producers, distributors, equipment manufacturers, and service providers working in the LPG and BioLPG sectors.
According to the LGI, its goal is to ensure that policy makers continue to recognise LPG and BioLPG as a clean, versatile, and alternative lower-carbon energy choice for off-grid users in the residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, leisure and transport sectors.