OVERALL ENERGY demand in Ireland rose by 1.5 per cent in 2008 despite the economy contracting by 3 per cent last year, according to a report from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).
The report, Energy in Ireland 1990-2008, blames higher demand on cold weather. This led to an 8.8 per cent increase in energy use by householders and a 6.9 per cent increase in the commercial and public services sector.
When climate factors are taken into consideration, the increase drops to 3.3 per cent and 1.9 per cent respectively.
SEI chief executive Prof Owen Lewis said the report showed the need to improve the energy performance of buildings. He commended the Government for continuing “in these straitened times” to fund the home energies saving scheme which allows homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. “The logic of replacing money which we are sending off to oil and gas suppliers with jobs in Ireland to improve our buildings to reducing energy is very compelling.”
The report found energy use linked to economic activity declined in 2008 in line with the slowdown – energy use in industry fell 5.4 per cent and transport 1.3 per cent.
“The key issue now is what will happen when we come out of this recession? It is critical that the return to economic growth is not matched by a corresponding growth in energy demand.”
He said while there were no “overnight solutions” to reducing unsustainable energy usage in the transport sector, there were measures which could help reach savings, including the introduction of electric vehicles.
The report found renewable energy use up by 21 per cent in 2008, with its contribution to gross electricity consumption now at 12 per cent.
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