Press release
Government publishes first-of-its-kind strategy for Ireland’s energy security
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
The Government has today published the ‘Energy Security in Ireland to 2030’ report, which outlines a new strategy to ensure energy security in Ireland for this decade, while ensuring a sustainable transition to a carbon neutral energy system by 2050.
The comprehensive report, which has 28 actions in total, is a roadmap to ensuring a sustainable, affordable and secure energy landscape that balances energy risk and resilience against our binding European and domestic energy and climate commitments.
It is informed by six pillars of analysis, including the technical review of the energy security of Ireland’s electricity and gas networks carried out by Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA), over 450 consultation responses to this analysis, and the Independent Review on the Security of Electricity Supply, carried out by former Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach, Dermot McCarthy (the McCarthy Report).
Overall, the in-depth consultation and analysis highlights the vital importance of Ireland’s renewable energy policy agenda. It also identifies strategic risks for Ireland within a changing European and international energy context. Based on this, the report sets out several conclusions, including:
Minister Ryan said:
"The approach presented today integrates energy, climate, enterprise, and digitalisation policy ambitions so that Ireland’s energy future is clear and certain. Ultimately, it will ensure our energy system is secure and affordable as we transition to a carbon neutral future.
"Ireland is currently one of the most energy import-dependent countries in the EU. By reducing our import dependency through our energy efficiency measures and our investment in a diverse number of renewable energy sources, Ireland will reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and dramatically reduce our exposure to energy shocks.
"We are already world leaders in onshore wind energy and are actively pursuing our offshore wind, solar, interconnection and other renewable sources. The delivery of this ambition will ensure an energy system that is no longer oil and gas-based but grounded in indigenous renewable electricity.
"While we transition to this more sustainable energy landscape, we will need a range of measures to ensure a resilient, reliable, and secure energy system throughout. This Strategy sets out how we can power Ireland’s progress, enhancing our energy security with a mix of energy efficiency, a continued shift to electricity from renewable generation, smart grid interconnection to the UK and Europe, better storage as well as flexible, state-led and temporary access to key fossil fuel reserves as we make the switch."
Two major new areas are highlighted in the report for action: increasing Ireland’s resilience in the unlikely event of a disruption to natural gas supplies and developing the anticipatory capacity of the energy sector in Ireland. More detail on these measures are set out in the ‘Notes to the Editor’ below.
To view the ‘Energy Security in Ireland to 2030’ report, please go to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications website.
ENDS
The analysis undertaken as part of this report demonstrates that Ireland needs to enhance its resilience in the event of a disruption to the country’s natural gas supplies. Though unlikely, a disruption to Ireland’s supplies of gas would lead to unacceptably high economic and social costs.
The report sets out permanent and transitional measures to be implemented to address these risks:
Ireland’s energy security will be significantly improved and risks greatly reduced if Ireland implements a Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve on a transitional basis for use in the event of a disruption to gas supplies (Action 17 ). This is a similar approach to the energy security measure in place for oil security, through the National Oil Reserves Agency.
Minister Ryan will request Gas Networks Ireland, as the independent transmission system operator, to explore this promptly and revert with a proposal for such a facility and this proposal will be subject to final decision by Government in Q2 2024. The proposal will be developed in accordance with specific criteria requirements which will include:
There are six significant measures in the Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 report to strengthen oversight and the anticipation of risk in the energy sector. These were in response to recommendations in ‘The Independent Review of the Security of Electricity Supply’ (McCarthy Review), stakeholder engagement and feedback from the public consultation. The actions to develop the anticipatory capacity of the energy sector in Ireland to identify and respond cover a range of issues, including expanding resources and expertise available to Government, in particular: energy-modelling capacity, better integration of electricity and gas forecasting, updating the approach to stakeholder engagement, and continued reviews of emergency exercises in the energy sector.
As part of this, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications will progress time-limited external reviews of the scope and functions of the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in 2023 and EirGrid in 2024 (Action 21 ). Furthermore, the Minister and the Department will leverage existing oversight structures to implement more frequent, cross-Government engagement on policy and regulatory issues of interest (Action 26 ). Ensuring a robust energy governance model focused on delivery and implementation is the key to the successful transition to meet our sectoral emissions ceilings.
The actions in this report will be overseen by the Energy Security Group (ESG) (Action 28 ). The ESG has been established to examine energy security issues on a more long-term and whole-of-Government basis. The ESG will meet on a regular basis to assess the progress being made on the report’s actions. Bi-annual implementation reports on the progress of the implementation of the actions will be presented to the group by its secretariat.
As this report represents a package of measures to increase energy security in Ireland in the period out to 2030, there is commitment to a further review every five years after 2030 to align with carbon budgets and ensure energy security continues to get the focus it warrants.