Europe

Energy system of Ireland

Ireland put in place an ambitious and comprehensive set of policies and targets to reach net zero by 2050 and 80% of renewable electricity generation by 2030, but now their implementation needs to accelerate. Natural gas will remain an important part of the energy mix at least until the mid-2030s, especially to meet peak electricity demand, but offshore renewable energy will become the cornerstone of Ireland’s energy transition beyond 2030. Given Ireland’s current exclusive reliance on energy imports from the United Kingdom, energy security is a major concern to the government while transitioning to a (variable) renewables-based energy system and advancing the electrification of the heating and transport sectors to meet the ambitious climate targets to 2030 and beyond.

Key recommendations