The draft Programme for Government (PfG) includes more climate and environmental commitments than the previous version—281 compared to 274, according to Dr. Cara Augustenborg, who took the time to count them. But the question raised by her, other academics, environmental activists, and climate campaigners is whether this document genuinely improves on its predecessor, or if it merely proves that more doesn’t necessarily mean better. Early analysis has left them underwhelmed.
Oisín Coghlan of Friends of the Earth coined the term “climate cakeism” to describe the situation, meaning that while the government has established climate targets, it still seems to want to maintain its current pollution levels. This is evident in its recommitment to the major climate targets, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, all while promoting the growth of sectors like farming, aviation, and data centers.
The draft also commits to expanding public transport, greenways, cycling lanes, and walking infrastructure, while at the same time, it plans to increase investment in new roads. It promises to meet ambitious wind and solar power targets but also stresses the importance of ensuring Ireland’s energy security—suggesting the development of controversial LNG (liquefied natural gas) infrastructure, potentially reinforcing dependence on fossil fuels.
While there is a commitment to the Nature Restoration Plan required by EU law, the measures under the Nature Restoration Law will be entirely voluntary for farmers, who are the largest landowners and have the most significant impact on nature. Some new promises include expanding the school transport service from 175,000 to 275,000 students by 2030, as well as establishing an “extreme weather event assistance scheme” to replace ad hoc funding for those affected by flooding and other disasters.
On climate adaptation, the draft pledges to advance the National Coastal Change Management Strategy, which calls for preparing coastal areas for sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and land loss. Three “pathfinder” schemes are to be set up to explore solutions to these threats. However, despite these encouraging words, the overall tone of the document lacks specific actions, deadlines, or measurable targets.
The pledge to accelerate home retrofitting has been well received, particularly the promise to improve grants and financing options for low-income households. However, the plan lacks specific initiatives beyond considering the use of sustainable biofuels to reduce emissions from home boilers—something currently not feasible due to the limited availability of sustainable biofuels.
Ambiguity is a major concern for groups like the FairSeas Campaign, which has pointed out the lack of concrete plans for expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The necessary legislation to establish MPAs was delayed for so long that it was never enacted. FairSeas’ Dr. Donal Griffin stated that much more detail is needed before it can be determined if the government is serious about protecting Ireland’s seas.
There is also repetition of commitments already made in the 2020 PfG, such as the Sustainable Mobility Action Plan and the National EV Infrastructure Strategy, which are both detailed but need implementation, not re-writing. Dr. Augustenborg also noted that previous pledges, like the review of greenhouse gas emissions on a consumption basis, have reappeared without progress. If such a review takes place, it could be interesting, especially since an ESRI study showed that if Ireland’s emissions were measured by consumption rather than production, its emissions would be 74% higher.
However, the biggest concern for campaigners is the current level of emissions and the lack of concrete actions to reduce them in the draft PfG. With just five years left to meet the 51% reduction target, they argue that the document fails to outline how Ireland can get back on track. This marks a “worrying shift away from the necessary momentum and action,” said Karen Ciesielski of the Environmental Pillar. “This draft PfG does not give us any confidence that the incoming government is committed to tackling the very serious challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss,” she added. source : Caroline O’Doherty, Irish Independent
Ireland over half way to Climate Action Plan wind target
10th Feb 2025
In 2024, Ireland passed 5,000MW of installed onshore wind, more than halfway to 2030 target
Which is worse for wildlife, windfarms or oil drilling?
04th Feb 2025
In an article for the BBC, Sophie Hardach compares the effects of windfarms and oil drilling. Read the article from the BBC website here
Wind and solar farms have saved Irish electricity consumers €840 million since 2000 – report
28th Jan 2025
Renewable power generated from wind and solar has saved Irish electricity customers as much as €840 million, energy specialists Baringa have said.
The firm‘s analysis of how renewables are influencing price has found the financial benefit of developing renewable energy in the Irish market has significantly outweighed all possible costs for consumers “even based on conservative estimates“.
A study commissioned by Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) – which represents the wind sector – said savings produced by Ireland‘s reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels “exceeded the expense of support schemes, grid network development and other costs by close to €840 million“ since 2000.
Wind farms were credited with just under 98 per cent of these net savings, with solar farms contributing the rest. Ireland‘s wind generation capacity has grown since 2000 from 117 megawatts to more than 5,000MW installed across the country, while more than 600MW of solar generation has been connected in recent years.
Last year, according to Green Collective data, nearly two-fifths of the country‘s electricity came from renewables. This scaling-up of renewable energy sources since 2000 has also cut Irish spending on fossil fuels by €7.4 billion and prevented production of more than 47 million tonnes of carbon dioxide up to the end of 2023, it says.Home-grown renewables have also insulated consumers from recent spiralling fuel costs, cutting bills by an average of €320 per person between 2020 and 2023.
Releasing the report to coincide with the opening of WEI‘s annual conference in Dublin today, its chief executive Noel Cunniffe said: “It shows every single wind turbine we build and every set of solar panels we install helps Irish families and businesses to save money.
Since 2021 alone, renewables have displaced almost €4 billion worth of fossil fuels, insulating Irish consumers from the very worst of the impacts of the fossil fuel energy crisis. But we should still be paying less.”
[ When‘s the best time to use the dishwasher and wash clothes? The recommended periods and why wind matters ]
By remainingdependent on imported gas “we are letting the price we pay for electricity be dictated to us by international fossil fuel companies. Every hour, Ireland is spending €1 million to import fossil fuels, but there is a viable alternative–a way to keep this money at home,” he said.
We can dothis by building more wind and solar farms, reinforcing our electricity grid, electrifying our heat and transport systems, and working with our EU partners to reform the common electricity market. “The incoming government can save Irish consumers millions of euros, while also ensuring a clean, secure, domestic energy supply and creating thousands of jobs.
The Baringa analysis predicts, if gas prices remain high and if Ireland reaches the government target of 80 per cent renewable electricity, consumer bills could fall by a further €610 million from 2030.
When electricity bills are among the highest in Europe it can be hard for families or small businesses struggling to pay bills to feel the benefit of these savings, Mr Cunniffe said.
The reality is our bills will remain too high for precisely as long as we choose–and it is a choice–to maintain our dependency on imported gas, to allow the CEOs of fossil fuel companies to decide how much a family in Roscrea should pay to charge their car or how much it costs a farm in Monaghan to run a milking parlour.
He further said the next five years wouldintroduce an opportunity to make unprecedented progress in moving towardsreliance on self-produced renewables and accelerating the next phase of Ireland‘s economic development, byprovidingmore affordable,cleaner power into homes and businesses by 2030 and laying the foundation for Irish energy independence.
source : The Irish Times
Supporting Ireland’s Energy Transition with Battery Storage Solution
05th Dec 2024
Wind and solar power are central to Ireland’s shift away from fossil-fuel-based electricity generation. However, these renewable energy sources need to be stored for periods when wind and sunlight are unavailable, according to Clare Duffy of ESB.
While wind and solar energy are significantly helping reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions, they present a key challenge: intermittency. The wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine. So, the question arises: how can we meet electricity demand when renewable energy sources aren’t fully available?
“One way to address this is by storing excess renewable energy in large-scale batteries,” says Clare Duffy. “There are times when renewable energy generation exceeds the country’s demand, such as on windy or sunny days. By developing storage capacity, companies like ESB can store this surplus energy and have it available to supply power instantly when needed, ensuring a stable electricity supply.”
She further explains that ESB envisions a secure, net-zero energy system for Ireland by 2050, which will rely on three main components: renewable energy, energy storage, and traditional backup generation. This integrated approach will not only improve energy security by reducing Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels from unstable regions but also support the growth of domestically produced energy. “Essentially, we’re swapping geopolitical risk for meteorological risk, meaning backup technologies will always be necessary to complement renewable energy,” she adds.
As part of ESB’s strategy to reach net-zero by 2040, Duffy and her team are exploring investment opportunities to build energy storage systems, grid services, and backup generation facilities. These will ensure Ireland’s energy security in the near-to-medium term and help integrate renewable energy more effectively in the long term.
Source: The Irish Times
Wind Energy Ireland slams “anti-wind” development plans
29th Nov 2024
Wind Energy Ireland has argued that ‘anti-wind’ development plans are hindering the country’s progress toward its climate goals.
CEO Noel Cunniffe emphasized that planning is the most significant obstacle to reducing reliance on fossil fuels. He pointed out that the Planning Bill could help improve the situation, highlighting that only one wind farm was approved between July and September this year.
“This means only 13% of the capacity needed for that period was approved, which is far from what we need to achieve our 2030 targets,” Cunniffe said.
He explained that the combination of insufficient resources at An Bord Pleanála for renewable energy projects and county development plans that oppose wind energy would result in Ireland remaining dependent on imported fossil fuels for a longer period.
Cunniffe called for the Planning and Development Bill to be supported with additional resources.
“The Planning and Development Bill has the potential to accelerate the delivery of more wind energy projects,” he said. “It establishes mandatory decision timelines for both An Bord Pleanála and planning authorities. However, new legislation alone won’t be effective without more resources in the planning sector and amendments to county development plans to support renewable energy.”
In the third quarter of this year, two applications were denied, and 31 additional projects are still awaiting decisions.
Build Our Grid – Email Your Candidates Now
27th Nov 2024
The Build Our Grid campaign is appealing to everyone to email this general election’s candidates to request them to make building a stronger, reniforced electricity grid an election priority. We want our represtatives to support the implementation of EirGrid’s Shaping Our Electricity Future to build new grid infranstructure and to campaign for the delivery of the North-South Interconnector and other key grid infranstructure projects. Encourage friends, colleagues and family to join the cause to make a big impact.
Click the link below for map of election candidates:
click here to hear the interview with Ecopower director Pat Brett on Midwest Radio lunchtime news 26/09/24,discussing Vodafone becoming first telco to sign Corporate Power Purchase Agreement
Vodafone first telco to sign Corporate Power Purchase Agreement here
27th Sep 2024
Photo – Brian McHugh (Managing Director at Vantage Towers Ireland), Amanda Nelson (Vodafone Ireland CEO), James Temple (Renewables Manager at Flogas) and Pat Brett, Director at Derrynadivva Wind Farm in Co Mayo
Vodafone Ireland has signed a new Corporate Power Purchasing Agreement (CPPA) with energy supplier Flogas, along with its infrastructure partner Vantage Towers – the first telco in Ireland to sign such an agreement.
The new deal allows Vodafone to directly purchase renewable electricity from the Derrynadivva Wind Farm in Mayo.
Vodafone’s investment of €6m in the initiative is part of the company’s sustainability goals to achieve net zero across its full value chain by 2040.
The energy secured within today’s deal gives Vodafone access to clean, high quality and affordable renewable electricity for its extensive network of cables that deliver mobile and fixed services to customers across the country.
As part of this agreement, the company’s infrastructure partners, Vantage Towers, will also receive renewable energy from the Derrynadivva Wind Farm.
Amanda Nelson, CEO at Vodafone Ireland, said that today’s announcement is an investment in Ireland and its renewable energy industry, adding that it was a significant step towardsthe company’s own ambitious net zero targets.
Brian McHugh, Managing Director at Vantage Towers Ireland, said the company’s infrastructure network is totally powered by renewable energy, in line with its global ESG agenda.
“Sustainability is a necessity, and this agreement with Flogas is a further commitment to minimising the impact of our business on the environment, and a continued investment in Ireland’s natural generating capability,” he added.
James Temple, Renewables Manager at Flogas, said the CPPA with Vodafone Ireland underscores the accelerating commitment of Irish companies to increase their use of carbon-free energy and lead in renewable energy adoption.
“As a leading provider of clean energy CPPAs, Flogas is dedicated to enhancing the economic feasibility of renewable projects and advancing Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” he added.
“By delivering clean, renewable wind energy to some of the nation’s largest companies, we are not only helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also supporting these businesses in their commitment to more efficient and responsible energy consumption,” Pat Brett, Director at Derrynadivva Wind Farm, stated.
Source: rte.ie
Wind supplied 35pc of Ireland’s electricity so far this year
02nd Jul 2024
Wind remains an important part of Ireland’s energy grid, though its contributions fluctuate significantly month by month.
Wind energy supplied 35pc of Ireland’s electricity needs in the first five months of this year, while Cork became the leading county in terms of wind production last month.
That’s according to a new report from Wind Energy Ireland, which shows that wind energy remains an important and growing part of Ireland’s electricity grid – though it has some significant fluctuations.
While wind supplied 35pc of Ireland’s electricity so far this year, it only produced 21pc of the country’s electricity last month. This was below the normal average for wind energy in May but the report said this shortfall was “partially compensated” by a record month for solar power. Meanwhile, wind energy supplied a record 43pc of Irish electricity in March.
“Every time a wind turbine or solar panel is generating electricity, it is reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, helping to push down wholesale electricity prices and increasing our supply of clean energy to power our homes and local communities,” said Justin Moran, director of external affairs at Wind Energy Ireland.
The report shows that Cork produced 73 GWh of wind power in May, representing 11pc of Ireland’s total wind power that month. This also pushed Kerry off the top spot for the first time since Wind Energy Ireland started publishing data at a county level.
Kerry was in second place producing 10pc of Ireland’s wind power in May, followed by Galway, Tipperary and Tyrone. These top five counties produced 42pc of Ireland’s total wind power last month.
“Irish wind farms, and last month particularly those in Cork, are playing an enormous part in reducing Ireland’s carbon emissions by more than 4m tonnes a year and creating significant opportunities in job creation and funding for rural communities,” Moran said.
“Ireland has significant renewable energy sources and by growing our renewable energy sector, we can build an Ireland that is energy independent, delivering warmer homes and cleaner air.”
