.....................................................................................................................GREEN NEWS
Emissions from heating in homes and businesses falling, but not fast enough ENERGY use for heat in homes and businesses decreased by only 0.7% in 2019 when the impact of warmer weather last year is accounted for, according to the latest figures released from SEAI as part of their Energy in Ireland 2020 report. Heat in homes and businesses accounts for over one third of our national energy use and CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels. The slow level of progress is not at the rate required to achieve our climate ambitions. This data underpins the Government’s current focus on improving the energy efficiency of 500,000 homes and delivering renewable heat to more homes and businesses by 2030 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heating. One step forward... CEO of the SEAI William Walsh says that the report illustrates continued success in decarbonisation of electricity, primarily through the reduction of coal and peat use for electricity generation, and from the addition of further installed capacity of wind. He says that significant momentum exists to continue to drive Ireland forward as a world leader in incorporating renewable energy on the electricity system. However he also points to the weakness in Ireland's progress. "A bigger story however can be found in sectors where the data did not
change significantly in 2019," he said. "Energy use for heat in homes and businesses decreased by a mere 0.7% in 2019 when the impact of a warmer year is taken into account. Collectively these sectors account for over one third of our national energy use and CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use. "The slow level of progress is not yet near the rate required to live up to the Government’s ambition in the
"The slow level of progress is not yet near the rate required to live up to the Government’s ambition in the Climate Action Plan"
Climate Action Plan, or the more recent and ambitious Programme for Government." Final energy demand fell by 0.6% in 2019, the first time it has reduced since 2014, but this was mostly due to milder weather. Primary energy demand, which includes energy lost in electricity generation and other transformation sectors, fell by 1.2%.
Energy in
2019 Key Tr
The report is available to download at www.seai.ie.
ENERGY USE
ECONOMIC GROWTH (Modified Domestic Demand)
+3.2%
OVERALL ENERGY USE
-1.2%
ENERGY-RELATED CO2 EMISSIONS
-4.5% Energy-related CO2 Emissions
Final Energy Use
(including electricity emissions)
-4.6%
-9.3%
Transport
+0.5%
-0.1%
Industry
+0.1%
-5.4%
Services
+2.2%
-7.6%
Residential
PROGRESS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS Overall Renewable Energy Target
12.0%
Transport Heat
16.0%
8.9% 6.3%
Electricity
2020 TARGETS
10.0% 12.0%
36.5%
40.0%
Note all figures are 2019 compared with 2018, unless otherwise stated.
Education 19
