Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

331 Chapter 12: Environment and Energy Key chapter messages 1. Established technologies, such as wind energy, solar photovoltaics and bioenergy, will be key in meeting short-term emission reduction targets (i.e. 2030), whereas significant growth in offshore wind infrastructure is expected to be the key essential element of future energy systems. Enhanced regulatory and planning frameworks, and support schemes, are required to accelerate the deployment of renewables, realise co-benefits and manage trade-offs. 2. Growing demand for electricity is an anticipated by-product of the expected electrification of the heat and transport sectors. However, additional and rapidly increasing electricity demand growth from large energy users is putting pressure on energy systems. 3. World class infrastructure takes significant time and investment from conception to implementation. The time horizon for achieving national and EU commitments is getting ever shorter. Planning in the broadest sense needs to be fast tracked to achieve the ambitious national renewable energy targets. 4. Substantial challenges remain for high-intensity hard-to-decarbonise sectors, e.g. high temperature users, and the development of low or zero carbon fuels to meet these applications are needed. Negative emissions technologies and solutions will also be required to deliver a climate-neutral Ireland.