The Electricity Supply Board (ESB) has set out its vision for a low carbon future at a Take Charge conference co-hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA). The conference also explored different technology options and approaches for achieving lower emissions in Ireland across electricity, transport and heat.
In a new report titled 'Ireland's Low Carbon Future - Dimensions of a Solution', heat pumps and electric vehicles are identified as delivering the most immediate and long-term solution to the carbon challenge faced by Ireland. The conference heard from leading energy experts, including Michael Liebreich, the founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Sara Bell, founder and CEO of Tempus Energy, and Patty Durand, President and CEO of the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative.
One of the key findings of the report was that Ireland's commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by 80 per cent by 2050 will require profound change in the electricity, heat and transport sectors. This cannot be achieved by 'perfecting' the current system. It is anticipated that Ireland's future electricity demands will require a combination of wind, solar, biomass and carbon capture and storage.
The report's fundamental premise is that a decarbonised electricity system powering the heat and transport sectors will address the majority of Ireland's energy emissions, enabling Ireland to reduce its total emissions by around 60 per cent. By 2050, it is envisaged that 60 per cent of households will have a heat pump, and that 60 per cent of new car sales will be electric vehicles by 2030.
IIEA Director General, Barry Andrews, said: "At a time of unprecedented change in the global energy sector, it is critical that we bring together experts and policymakers to debate and reflect on the role we all have to play on the path towards a low carbon future. Energy consumers, as well as governments and energy providers, all have a stake in this transition towards a low carbon future, and by bringing them together we hope to shape the conversation leading to effective policy solutions."
Editor's note
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