Urgency for government action as clock ticks down to energy-alternatives target
This year looks set to be a defining one for Ireland’s energy landscape, as the Government scrambles to deploy additional renewable energy resources to avoid, or at least reduce the fines which would accrue from missing binding EU 2020 energy targets.
Ireland has committed that 16% of energy consumption will come from renewable sources by 2020. For this to happen, individual targets for power generation, heating and energy used in transport have been set. Figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October suggest that Ireland looks likely to miss targets for heat and transport. There is now also significant doubt that targets for renewable electricity generation will be met.
