For many Irish households, the challenge of living more sustainably isn’t a lack of willingness. It’s knowing where to start.
Over the past few months, severe weather events have made climate change feel immediate, while the impact of geopolitical issues such as conflicts and tariffs brings energy matters home to us in a very real way.
Electric Ireland’s head of net-zero strategy and sustainability, Ellen Diskin, understands this completely, both in her professional capacity and as a single parent to two young children, trying to make the best energy decisions for her own household.
“As an organisation, Electric Ireland is committed to reaching net zero by 2040. But a really important part of our culture is making sure we don’t leave customers behind. The energy transition needs to work not just for the environment, but for households and families too.”
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As a nation we are investing at scale.
Ireland is making significant investments in renewable generation, including wind and solar power, helping reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.
But for consumers, the transition becomes real through everyday decisions in their own homes, whether that’s moving to a smart-meter tariff, installing solar panels, upgrading heating systems or switching to an electric vehicle.
“The challenge for many people isn’t motivation,” says Diskin. “It’s understanding what action makes sense for them, and what step they should take first.”
But such steps cost money, and decision making around them can feel overwhelming.
Electric Ireland sees its role as helping make those decisions easier.
“It is our role to help make those decisions as easy and accessible for people as possible, working with government and other organisations to make sure that people are not left on their own to make them,” she says.
“People shouldn’t feel like they’re navigating this alone. We want to help customers understand their options and make informed decisions that suit their household, lifestyle and budget.”
People shouldn’t feel like they’re navigating this alone. We want to help customers understand their options and make informed decisions that suit their household, lifestyle and budget
This is even true of her own family choices. For Diskin, sustainability is as much a personal consideration as a professional one.
“So for my household the easiest thing to do right now was to go on to a smart-meter tariff and start making small changes to when and how we use energy.”
“With the Electric Ireland app you can get smart-meter insights on your phone. It gives you a breakdown of what appliances are using energy and generates tips for savings. For me, the big one was waiting to do the washing and drying until after peak time,” she says.
“Cooking is another big energy user for me but one I can’t really move around – when the kids get in from school and have homework to do, I have to feed them. But the Electric Ireland app gives suggestions on ways to reduce energy usage, such as slow cooking, batch cooking at weekends, or using an air fryer or microwave, which just use so much less energy.”
It’s a simple example of a wider reality about sustainability. The journey to net zero is not “one big bang retrofit”, she points out.
“For most people it’s about doing it bit by bit over the years. That might mean moving to a smart meter tariff today, investing in solar panels in a few years’ time, or considering an electric vehicle when it’s time to replace the current car,” she says.
Results from the most recent Electric Ireland Sustainability Index, a survey conducted among 1,005 consumers in Ireland, bear this out. It found 36 per cent of people want to live more sustainably but just don’t know how.
For Diskin, that’s an important insight. Consumers are aware of the big climate questions, but they want to understand the practical solutions for their life.
“What they want to know is, if the radiator starts to leak, what should they replace it with? Is there a grant available? And how can they be sure the replacement will be ready for a heat pump down the line?” she says.
Some 87 per cent of us would take such actions if we had confidence they would work.
That peace of mind is something else Electric Ireland can help with. “We are an organisation that commits a lot of time and expertise into making sure the solutions we make available will work, help you manage your costs, and help you reduce your carbon footprint,” says Diskin.
That is also reflected in the Electric Ireland Sustainability Index findings. “People who put solar panels on their roof report seeing perceived savings of on average of about €58 per month, and households that have gotten a heat pump – and if you’ve got a relatively new home, it may be heat pump-ready from the outset – are reporting savings of €77 every single month on their heating bill,” she says.
“Those who have electric chargers are saying they are saving on average €91 a month on fuel costs.”
And wherever you are on your sustainability journey, Electric Ireland ensures the path ahead is clearly defined.
Increasingly, consumers are looking for more than an electricity supplier, but for trusted advice that helps them understand their energy use and make informed decisions for the future.
To support customers in their sustainability journey, Electric Ireland has transformed itself, becoming not just an energy supplier but a trusted provider of expert guidance and effective solutions too.
Not alone is it committed to completing its own journey to net zero, but it is supporting its customers, both businesses and residential, as they make the transition too.
Whether through smart meter tariff plans, energy management solutions, or products such as solar panels, EV chargers and batteries, Electric Ireland is enabling customers to better understand their energy use and make more informed decisions.
“For the journey to a more sustainable life to work, it has to work for the household, for the family, for the business. That’s where we focus our attention, helping people take the next step with confidence,” she concludes.
For more information on the steps you can take in your journey to Net Zero, visit the Electric Ireland Net Zero hub
