The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has identified, in its new report published today (Tuesday, November 5), “significant” gaps for Ireland to close in order to meet legally binding Climate Action Plan and EU targets.
In its National Energy Projections 2024 report, the SEAI found projected gaps for the following: National carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings; EU obligations on renewable energy; Energy efficiency; and greenhouse gas emissions.
The results provide an assessment of how the country is likely to perform against the national Climate Action Plan and EU climate and energy targets, accounting for factors such as economic growth and government energy policies.
The report identifies “a severe risk” of delayed achievement of the majority of Climate Action Plan targets, including for renewable electricity, biomethane, electric vehicles, district heating, heat pumps and building energy efficiency upgrades.
“If even some of these risks materialise it would result in certain target failure, increased energy demand, less renewable energy, and higher greenhouse gas emissions,” SEAI stated.
The report states that even with a “massively scaled effort” for technology deployment across all sectors, it is now likely too late to meet legally binding 2030 climate obligations at EU and national levels.
SEAI
SEAI CEO, William Walsh said: “While we have made some good progress on energy-related emissions, we are far from being on track for success.
“Even if we achieve the most optimistic scenario detailed in this report, and hit all Climate Action Plan targets, it is likely that gaps to our energy and climate obligations will remain.”
“We must begin to embrace measures that will allow us to meet our personal and societal needs at reduced rates of energy consumption,” Walsh added.
SEAI recommends in the report that unprecedented technology change “must be” combined with strong policies and measures to limit growth in energy demand and disincentivise behaviours and practices that incur wasteful energy use in all parts of society.