Ireland is falling well short on its renewable energy targets, the latest figures from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) show.

Figures from the 2023 energy balance reports show that 14.2% of our energy came from renewables in 2023, well below a baseline target of 16%.

Around 83% of our energy came from fossil fuels, while 3.2% came from other sources. Our 2030 target is to have 43% of our energy coming from renewables and, at the current trajectory, we won’t meet it.

Demand

Furthermore, new generation is outstripped by demand. Ireland used 4.4% more electricity in 2023 compared with the previous year. The data shows that the total electricity usage increased in 2023, mostly due to new data centre connections.

Of the extra 1.32TWh of electricity needed in 2023, 1.06TWh was required to meet the increased energy demands from data centres in Ireland. In 2023, data centres accounted for 20% of Ireland's electricity demand.

Good news

However, the good news is that Ireland’s energy-related emissions were down by just under 8% in 2023. This is a record rate of reduction and the lowest since 1993.

While the addition of renewables on to the system has helped achieve this, it was mainly driven by the increased use of imported electricity supply across our interconnectors with the UK, which increased by 11%.

In a press briefing with the Irish Farmers Journal, the SEAI explained that imported electricity is classed as zero emissions on our balance sheet, with the emissions accounted for in the country of origin instead of where it is used.

Investment

The outlook for 2024 is promising, as emissions from the electricity sector in the first six months reached their lowest level in decades, a 17% reduction, again driven by increased energy imports and the growth of renewables.

However, the message from the SEAI briefing was clear: Ireland needs to significantly ramp up investment in renewables, such as wind and solar.

For more, read this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.