Ireland energy report

• Around 5.5 GW of renewables and storage have received authorisation of grid connection in 2020 and 2021.
• The first carbon budget has been approved, setting an emission ceiling at 295 MtCO₂eq over 2021-2025.
• Gas production at Kinsale ceased in 2020 with the depletion of reserves.
• BnM ended peat production in 2020 to focus on renewable energy.
• Gas imports have increased by almost 70% since 2018 to offset the closure of Kinsale.
• Natural gas represents half of the power mix, while wind is surging (+28 pp since 2010 to 38% in 2020).
• In order to address rising energy costs, the VAT rate on gas and electricity was cut to 9% until October 2022.
• The gas price for industry has risen by 4%/year since 2016.
• Total energy consumption has been decreasing by 2%/year since 2018.
• The share of gas in the energy mix has increased by 7 pp since 2015, reaching 35% in 2020, while the share of coal and peat dropped by 10 pp to 6% in 2020.
• The 700 MW Celtic interconnector project between Ireland and France has been approved.
• The first batch of offshore wind projects for Maritime Area Consents will be issued in second half 2022.

• Institutions & Energy Policy

  The Department of Communications, Climate Action, and Environment (DCCAE) is responsible for the country's overall energy policy, including energy security, and competitiveness, governance of public energy companies and sustainable energy policy.

• Energy Supply

  Gas:

  Natural gas production has decreased by 43% since 2018 due to the closure of the Kinsale Area gas fields, reaching 2 bcm in 2020. The commissioning of the Corrib field in 2016 allowed the country to reach a production peak of 3.2 bcm in 2016 and 2017.

• Energy Prices

  Electricity:

  The prices of electricity are driven by the international gas price, as gas dominates the power mix. The electricity price reached €25.1c/kWh for households and €14.7c/kWh for industries in 2021. These prices are close to the EU average.

• Energy Consumption

  In 2020, consumption per capita was 2.6 toe (down from 3.2 toe in 2010) and 10% below the EU average. Per capita electricity consumption was 5 700 kWh in 2020, in line with the EU average.

  Graph: CONSUMPTION TRENDS BY ENERGY SOURCE (Mtoe)

  

• Issues & Prospects

  Electricity:

  According to the Draft Generation Capacity Statement 2020-2029, EirGrid expects the electricity demand to grow in a range of 23% (low scenario) to 53% (high scenario) in 2029 reaching 37 TWh and 46 TWh, respectively. A key driver for electricity demand for the decade to come is the connection of large data centres which are expected to amount to 27% of total electricity demand in 2029.

• GENERAL OVERVIEW
• INSTITUTIONS AND ENERGY POLICY
• ENERGY SUPPLY
• ENERGY PRICES
• ENERGY CONSUMPTION
• ISSUES AND PROSPECTS
• DATA TABLES
• ABBREVIATIONS
• GLOSSARY

Download the Table of Contents

Below is a list of the Ireland energy market report graphs:

• GRAPH 1: CO₂-energy emissions (MtCO₂)
• GRAPH 2: Installed electric capacity by source (2020, %)
• GRAPH 3: Gross power production by source (TWh)
• GRAPH 4: Power generation by source (2020, %)
• GRAPH 5: Gasoline & diesel prices (€/l)
• GRAPH 6: Electricity prices for industry and households (€c/kWh)
• GRAPH 7: Gas prices for industry and households (€c/kWh GCV)
• GRAPH 8: Consumption trends by energy source (Mtoe)
• GRAPH 9: Total consumption market share by energy (2020, %)
• GRAPH 10: Final consumption market share by sector (2020, %)
• GRAPH 11: Oil consumption (Mt)
• GRAPH 12: Oil consumption breakdown by sector (2020, %)
• GRAPH 13: Electricity consumption (TWh)
• GRAPH 14: Electricity consumption breakdown by sector (2020, %)
• GRAPH 15: Natural gas consumption (bcm)
• GRAPH 16: Gas consumption breakdown by sector (2020, %)
• GRAPH 17: Coal consumption (Mt)
• GRAPH 18: Coal consumption breakdown by sector (2020, %)

In the Ireland energy market report you will find the following tables:

• Economic Indicators: Annual historical data including population, GDP growth, imports and exports, inflation rate, energy security and efficiency indicators, CO₂ emissions.
• Supply Indicators: Historical data including oil and gas reserves, electric and refining capacity, energy production, power production and external trade. All are detailed by energy source.
• Demand Indicators: Historical data including consumption per inhabitant, consumption trends, total consumption by energy source, final consumption by energy source and sector, and electricity consumption by sector.
• Energy Balances: Single table displaying the overall energy industry balance per annum, also graphically displayed by energy sub-segment.
• Infrastructure Projects: Covers power plant projects by energy, technology, status and operator, gas plant projects by status and operator and LNG contracts.

The Ireland country dashboards are complemented with country forecasts from EnerFuture (excel file) with scenario comparison.

Data included in the excelsheet:

• Demand: Primary energy consumption, final energy consumption, by fuel, by sector.
• Power: Electricity generation & capacities, by technology.
• CO₂: Total CO₂ emissions.
• Macro-economy: Main macro-economic assumptions.
• Key indicators: Energy intensity, share of renewables, CO₂ emissions per capita and per unit of GDP.