Use of electric cars ‘must be accelerated’ to meet renewable energy targets

One in five cars sold here needs to be electric by 2020 if Ireland is to hit its renewable energy targets and avoid fines of up to €130m.

A new report from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) outlined how major action is required for Ireland if it is to achieve its commitments. Under binding EU targets, 16% of final energy use must be from renewable sources. This is broken down into 10% for transport, 12% for heat, and 10% for electricity.

Currently, Ireland is just over halfway towards meeting its 2020 renewable energy target, with 8.6% of gross final consumption derived from renewables in 2014.