Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

481 Chapter 17: Conclusions treatment measures to guarantee their long-term resilience and safety, 5 and implementing drinking water safety plans that are crucial to improve the resilience of supplies will require sustained investment in drinking water services if we are to continue to provide a safe and secure supply into the future. The provision of water-related infrastructure must also guard against the impacts of extreme weather events and climate extremes on water services and the water environment. 6 Energy. While progress is being made in the development of renewable electricity, the national grid requires unprecedented change in the period up to 2030. In 2020, the demand for electricity was twice the amount used in 1990. That demand is projected to increase substantially based on the increasing use of electricity 5 www.epa.ie/news-releases/news-releases-2024/while-water-quality-is-very-high-the-resilience-of-drinking-water-supplies-must- improve-and-will-require-sustained-investment-into-the-future-says-epa.php (accessed 6 September 2024). 6 www.eea.europa.eu/publications/european-climate-risk-assessment (accessed 6 September 2024). 7 cms.eirgrid.ie/sites/default/files/2023-07/Shaping-Our-Electricity-Future_Version-1.1-Plain-English-Summary.pdf (accessed 6 September 2024). for transport and heating and the increasing demand for electricity from high-demand users. 7 EirGrid has set out that between now and 2030 there needs to be a step change in the volume of network reinforcements delivered to support Ireland’s renewable electricity ambition. It anticipates that over 350 projects are needed to reinforce the system and facilitate connections, which represents an investment of over €3 billion in the grids in Ireland and Northern Ireland and a substantial ramping up across the entire life cycle of project delivery. The Climate Action Plan 2023 suggested a total of €119 billion incremental and redirected capital investment in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure will be required in the period 2022-2030. The Climate Action Plan 2024 (DECC, 2023b) revised this figure to between €119 and €125 billion (Figure 17.2). Figure 17.2  Estimated investment required to mobilise key technologies ~119-125 Investment, EUR bn Key technologies by sectors Transport Buildings residential Industry Agriculture Buildings commercial Total Electricity Wind & solar Heat pumps in homes District heating in homes EV trucks/vans EV buses Electrified heat supply in alumina Heat pumps and electric boilers EV passenger cars EV charging infrastructure Insulation in homes (retrofitted) DH and HP in commercial buildings Reforestation Electrification Anaerobic digesters Insulation in commercial buildings Increase since 2023 Backup capacity TSO/DSO upgrades 1 1. Including interconnection | 2. Includes e.g. residential and commercial electric cooking 23 7 34 7 11 9 3 2 3 8 2 1 <1 9-13 <1 1 <1 1 1 Other 2 Source: DECC, 2023b