Ireland
With a cumulative score of 2.28, Ireland ranks number 12 among developed markets and number 14 in the global ranking.
- Developed markets
- Europe
2.28 / 5
Power score
2.52 / 5
Transport score
2.06 / 5
Buildings score
Low-carbon strategy
Net-zero goal and strategy
Ireland adopted the European Climate Law, which sets into law the objective of collectively achieving “climate neutrality by 2050.”
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
Ireland is part of the European Union's joint Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement. The updated NDC, submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2021, pledges to reduce emissions by 55% before the end of 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
Fossil fuel phase-out policy
Ireland has a policy to phase out coal by 2025 in place.
Power
Power policy
Under the EU Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland committed to produce from renewable sources at least 16% of all energy consumed by 2020. Ireland has committed to meet this national target through 40% renewable electricity, 12% renewable heat and 10% renewable transport. In order to achieve this, Ireland has implemented auctions and a net metering scheme. The auctions scheme was implemented in 2020 to replace the feed-in tariff policy and has had one round so far. Those who participate in the net metering scheme must produce electricity locally and they will receive credit from the government toward their next electricity bill.
Power policies
Power prices and costs
Tariffs in all three sectors in Ireland increase annually. Consumers can opt to pay a day/night rate or a 24-hour rate.
Ireland’s electricity source is primarily natural gas. The country has been phasing out much of its coal capacity and adding significant amounts of wind. As renewable energy capacity increases, Ireland is installing batteries to decrease curtailment, though there is no official policy on this yet. The utility is completely unbundled.
Power market
Ireland has a 100% electrification rate. Policies around interconnection and retail licenses are clear. Ireland also has a very balanced grid because the government took preemptive measures.
Installed Capacity (in MW)
Electricity Generation (in GWh)
Utility privatisation
Which segments of the power sector are open to private participation?
Wholesale power market
Does the country have a wholesale power market?
Doing business and barriers
Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) estimates that in 2020 the total amount in direct subsidies and revenue foregone due to preferential tax treatment supporting fossil fuel activities in Ireland was €2.2 billion.
Currency of PPAs
Are PPAs (eg. corporate PPAs and all other types) signed in or indexed to U.S. Dollars or Euro?
Bilateral power contracts
Can a C&I (Commercial and Industrial) customer sign a long-term contract (PPA) for clean energy?
Fossil fuel price distortions - Subsidies
Does the government influence the wholesale price of fossil fuel (used by thermal power plants) down through subsidies?
Fossil fuel price distortions - Taxes
Does the government influence the wholesale price of fossil fuel (used by thermal power plants) up through taxes or carbon prices?
Transport
EV market
Ireland set a clean transport target to accelerate the take up of electric vehicle (EV) cars and vans with an aim for EVs to comprise 100% of all new cars and vans by 2030. Additionally, the target aims to have 950,000 EVs on the road by 2030. Annual EV sales have grown about 9% from 2019 to 2020.
EV policy
Ireland also has set fuel economy standards that focus on requiring automakers to limit CO2 emissions from manufactured vehicles.
Transport policies
Fuel economy standards
Does the country have a fuel economy standard in place?
Buildings
Buildings market
Ireland is part of the EU’s legally-binding regional renewable energy target to meet 32% renewables in gross final energy consumption by 2030. Of this target, Ireland should aim to increase the share of renewables supplying heating and cooling energy consumption by 1.1-1.3 percentage points each year until 2030.
Energy efficiency policy
Does the country have a national energy efficiency plan?
Energy efficiency policy
Are there minimum energy performance standards for buildings?
Energy efficiency incentives
Is there access to loans or grants for energy efficiency measures (i.e. Wall or loft insulation or double glazing)?
Buildings policy
The government has published a Draft Bioenergy Plan that details measures aimed at closing the heat target gap and developing bioenergy supply. This analysis supports the development and implementation of this plan.
Buildings policies
Additional insights
from BNEF
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