'Urgent collective action needed to reduce transport emissions'

CSO data echoes these figures, showing that almost 39.2 million people used Irish airports in 2023, the highest number of passengers recorded since its records began in 2013.

And despite an increase in EV use, road transport demand for diesel and petrol still increased by 1.0% and 7.7% respectively in 2023, with demand for diesel at 98.4% and petrol at 96.2% of pre-covid levels.

Increased blending of renewable biofuel into road diesel in 2023 reduced the amount of petrochemical diesel Ireland needed by 2%.

Both behavioural change and services are needed to reduce transport emissions, the SEAI said.

SEAI director of research and policy insights, Margie McCarthy, said: “We have to get out of our cars more and consider our air miles. 

The benefits of collective action to curb our fossil fuel use will create a better Ireland, with improved air quality, more comfortable homes, more vibrant communities, and an economy built on sustainable industries and jobs.

But it was not all bad news, with a series of positive records made by Ireland in renewable energy generation and some emissions reductions, as published in the SEAI’s Interim National Energy Balance for 2023, which details how much energy Ireland used and where it came from last year.

Ireland’s national energy-related emissions were down by 7.3% in 2023, dropping to their lowest level in 30 years. But they are still not falling fast enough to stay within 2021 to 2025 carbon budgets.

Analysis indicates that Ireland’s only chance to meet overall emissions targets depends on even higher annual reductions of more than 11% for 2024 and 2025, the SEAI said.

The main driver of reduced energy-related emissions in 2023 was from electricity generation. Emissions from electricity generation in Ireland were down by 20.9% in 2023, due to an increased use of electricity imported through international interconnectors and increased renewable generation in Ireland.

Ireland increased electricity importation through interconnectors by 12% from the previous year after Britain dropped energy prices post-Brexit. The net import of electricity through interconnectors accounted for 9.5% of electricity supply in 2023, making it the third largest source of electricity in Ireland after natural gas and wind.

In 2023, Ireland set new records for wind generation, solar generation, heat-pump installations, EV registrations, and biofuel blending. But while solar electricity generation increased by more than 300% in 2023, it still accounted for just 1.9% of Ireland’s electricity supply.

And a new record of 11.7 TWh of wind generation was set in 2023 (the extra wind generation recorded in 2023 is equivalent to the electricity needs of 115,000 homes). Yet Ireland needs to install 27% more wind capacity to reach its 2025 target.

Ireland remains heavily dependent on both fossil fuels and imported energy, with more than 80% of energy coming from fossil fuels, and almost 80% of energy imported.