Irish energy use fell 9% in 2020 as pandemic put brakes on transport sector

Energy consumption in Ireland fell by almost 9 per cent last year, largely due to a reduction in the number of vehicles and planes in transit during the Covid-19 pandemic, a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) report states.

Energy-related carbon emissions dropped by 11.5 per cent, with 4.3 million fewer tonnes of CO2 released into the atmosphere last year. This was the most significant annual reduction in emissions since the 2009 recession.

The primary driver of change, SEAI said, was lower consumption of oil products for transport. Total transport energy use fell by more than a quarter, while the use of oil products was down by 16.5 per cent, the largest annual reduction recorded to date.

SEAI said the grounding of most flights at the height of the pandemic, when overseas travel was significantly restricted, was the key to the overall reduction in oil product consumption.

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Demand for jet kerosene dropped by 64.3 per cent, while consumption of diesel and petrol for road vehicles were down 13.6 per cent and 25.9 per cent respectively.

Collective action

William Walsh, SEAI’s chief executive, said the data show the pandemic’s effect on behaviours and energy use and indicated “the level of impact achievable when there is mass, collective and cohesive action”.

“It is abundantly clear that dramatic change is needed if we want to meet the climate challenge. Business as usual simply won’t do,” he said.

The State last year missed a binding European target for 16 per cent of gross energy consumed to come from renewable sources, coming in at 13.6 per cent. A second such target, for renewable energy to meet 10 per cent of transport energy consumption, was achieved.

Ireland fell 0.9 percentage points short of a national target of ensuring 40 per cent of its electricity came from renewable sources. This figure derives from a five-year annual average, which is used to account for years with particularly high or low amounts of wind. Due to last year being particularly windy, 42 per cent of all electricity generated came from renewable sources.

Shortfall

There was a significant shortfall in a target of a 12 per cent renewable energy contribution to heating and cooling energy use, which came in at only 6.3 per cent.

Industry is by far the largest sectoral consumer of renewable energy for heating in the State, accounting for 61 per cent. Residences are responsible for a quarter of all renewable heat consumed.

Mr Walsh said it is essential “now more than ever” to accelerate the deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

“Nothing short of a societal movement to ultimately end the use of fossil fuels is now required,” he added.