Spending on energy by the industrial and commercial sector in Ireland has gone up by almost £90 million due to rising fuel prices, according to the Irish Energy Centre (IEC).
Speaking at the National Boiler Awards, Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise Mr Joe Jacob said Ireland needed to cut energy consumption to meet the targets of the UN Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions of harmful gases.
At current growth rates, he said, total Irish emissions of greenhouse gases in 2010 will be up to 25 per cent above the 1990 levels.
"Ireland's national annual fuel bill for boilers now stands at £1.57, £1 billion of which of this is now accounted for by the industrial and commercial sectors," Mr Jacob said.
"I appeal to the business community today to double its efforts to achieve greater efficiency and savings in the interest of the environment and future generations".
Mr Peter Brabazon, manager of the industry and public sector Programmes with IEC, said despite the slowdown in the Irish economy, energy consumption in Ireland was still damaging the environment.