A STEEP decline in cement manufacturing and a surge in wind energy production were responsible for a 9 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions from Ireland’s industrial and power generation sectors last year.
Data collated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show emissions for companies covered by the EU emissions trading scheme “dropped sharply” from 17.36 million tonnes in 2010 to 15.77 million tonnes in 2011.
The fall is largely due to a decline in emissions from the cement industry (down 12 per cent) and from electricity generation (down 11 per cent), although there was a slight increase of 1 per cent from companies in the relatively strong food and drink sector.
The EPA conceded that these results showed “an over-allocation of greenhouse gas allowances in 2011 under the National Allocation Plan” – for which the agency itself is responsible – compared to earlier years where there was an under-allocation to companies covered by it.
“The magnitude of the recession was not anticipated when allowance allocations to companies in the ETS [emissions trading scheme] were decided in 2006 and 2007,” it said, adding the current allocation plan covers a five-year period and the overall outcome “will not be clear until the end of 2012”.
Dr Maria Martin of the EPA said the cut in emissions – reported to the European Commission – “reflects both the impact of the current recession in terms of reduced energy and cement demand and the increased availability of wind generation on the grid”.
She said continued development of renewables and energy-efficiency policies would be crucial to “decarbonising” the energy sector, to assist Ireland in meeting future emission reduction targets and “moving us to a more sustainable low-carbon economy”.
More than 100 industrial and institutional sites are covered by the emissions trading scheme.
Details of verified greenhouse gas emissions in 2011 can be downloaded from the European Commission's website at iti.ms/IrqjJl
