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Ireland’s Environment 2012
26
Energy Package. In addition, the EU
ETS delivers a carbon price signal
across a wide range of industries
which encourages investment in
energy efficiency and low carbon
alternatives. Since the beginning
of 2012, the ETS scheme includes
emissions from air flights to and from
European airports.
Details for the 2005–2010 period
showing the free emissions
allowance allocation to companies
and associated verified emissions are
available from the EU Commission
website (EC, 2011).
Renewable Energy
Developing renewable energy is
an integral part of Ireland’s climate
change strategy. The renewable
contribution to Ireland’s gross final
consumption was 2.3% in 1990,
rising to 5.5% in 2010. Under the
EU Directive on the Promotion of
the Use of Energy from Renewable
Sources (EP and CEU, 2009a),
Ireland’s overall target is 16% of
gross final consumption to come
from renewable sources in electricity
generation (RES-E), transport
(RES-T) and thermal energy (RES-H)
by 2020. The share of electricity
generated from renewable energy
sources (RES-E) in 2010 was 14.8%,
exceeding the interim EU target of
13.2% RES-E by 2010 and almost
meeting the Government target of
15% of all electricity generation to
be from renewable energy sources
by 2010. Ireland is on track for the
longer term Government target of
40% RES-E by 2020 (Table 2.1).
Heat from renewable energy sources
(RES-H) has grown from 2.4% in
2000 to 4.4% in 2010 (mostly due to
the use of wood waste as an energy
source in the wood products and
food sectors). The national target
specified in the Government White
Paper is 5% of all heat to come from
renewable energy sources by 2010
and 12% by 2020.
In regard to RES-T, the White Paper
target was to achieve 5.75% of
road and rail transport energy from
renewable sources by 2010 and 10%
by 2020. In the consultation paper
on the introduction of the Biofuels
Obligation Scheme (DCENR, 2008),
the Minister for Communications,
Energy and Natural Resources
proposed that the 2010 target
be reduced from 5.75% to 3%.
Figure 2.5
ETS Emissions and Allocations 2005–2010 for EU-25 (Source: EU Commission, 2012)
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Mt CO
2
Verified Emissions
Allocations
Figure 2.6
ETS Emissions and Allocations 2005–2010 for Ireland (Source: EU Commission, 2011)
0
5
10
15
20
25
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Mt CO
2
Verified Emissions
Allocations