Energy dependence - Yet another warning we’ll ignore

JUST in case we were running short on the pessimism front, energy regulator Dermot Nolan yesterday reiterated the, by now, threadbare warning that we are facing a bleak future because of our dependence on fossil fuels.

Mr Nolan pointed out that the International Energy Agency had said gas and oil prices would increase in the next five to 10 years. That trend cannot be unexpected, but for a country that still imports around 90% of its energy, it poses significant challenges.

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) said Ireland faced a “bleak” future unless it could move away from its 90% reliance on fossil fuels. The EU average is 60%.

There is nothing new in Mr Nolan’s warning, yet what do we do? Just as we regard water as an infinite commodity, we regard energy as something that will always exist, as long as we can pay for it. If this were true, we would not have mend our ways. Let’s hope we do before it’s too late.