The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) last week published its annual statistical report on Ireland’s energy system.

The good news is that for the first time, Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions fell below 1990 levels, which is the baseline under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

This is largely due to the closure of coal- and peat-fired generation, but it also points to the rising share of renewables and more efficient end uses of energy throughout the economy. The trend also shows the impact of decisive action, whether driven by climate targets or litigation.

But looking at the overall health of the Irish energy system, there are major causes for concern. Last year, Ireland imported 78.2 per cent of our total energy, and 79.1 per cent of Ireland’s energy came from fossil fuels, illustrating how dependent we are on both imports and fossil fuels.

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