Government's commercial LNG plan 'will deepen Ireland's dependence on fossil fuels'

It has been reported that the new Government was set to scrap Eamon Ryan’s plans for a State-led LNG terminal and back a commercial one instead. File picture

The Government is at risk of deepening Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels if it presses ahead with plans for a commercial LNG (liquefied natural gas) facility, a group of leading academics have warned.

In a letter to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the 12 experts from a number of universities both in Ireland and in the United States warn the Government that failing to heed its warnings could forfeit a “tremendous opportunity to transition towards a cleaner, more secure energy system”.

"On behalf of the undersigned academics specialising in energy and climate research, we write in response to recent media reports indicating the Government’s intention to change its policy on LNG to support commercial operation and imports from the United States,” they said.

In a recent interview with the Irish Examiner, the Taoiseach said there are issues around energy security and that we need “back-up security”.

He also told RTÉ that Ireland “will have to have an LNG facility of some kind”, while the Business Post reported that the new Government was set to scrap Eamon Ryan’s plans for a State-led LNG terminal and back a commercial one instead.

Critics have also said that the move could be made to import LNG from the US to appease Donald Trump.

The academics noted that the new Programme for Government reaffirmed the State’s commitment to rapidly reduce fossil fuel dependence, which they said was essential to meet climate obligations, protect our economy and ensure societal wellbeing.

“We urge the Government to base any energy security policy on independent and transparent evidence of the economic, environmental, and security implications of LNG, particularly infrastructure that is commercially-operated and could result in the importation of fracked gas,” they wrote.

“Moreover, it is our view that any energy security measure involving new gas infrastructure must come with strict safeguards that ensure it does not conflict with the Government’s commitment to radically reduce fossil fuel reliance and meet legally binding carbon budgets.” 

The academics point to recent research which, they say, supports their position, including that LNG is a severely polluting energy source and that new data and modelling supports an acceleration away from natural gas.

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They wrote: “Clean energy — wind and solar power, electricity grids, battery storage, heat pumps, district heating networks, and energy efficiency measures — offer an unprecedented opportunity to achieve fossil fuel independence.” 

It points to examples elsewhere in Europe where other countries are reducing their reliance on gas.

“We are concerned that permitting LNG infrastructure without strict conditions to ensure it respects the carbon budgets and does not drive additional gas demand will further entrench fossil fuel dependence, and risk forfeiting a tremendous opportunity to transition towards a cleaner, more secure energy system,” they added.

The letter was signed by, among others, Professor Hannah Daly from UCC, Dr Cara Augustenborg from UCD and Professor John Sweeney from Maynooth University. It is also signed by Professor Michael E. Mann, Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media at the University of Pennsylvania.