Linking Micro-Energy Behaviour to Macro-Energy Challenges
New and original research from The Rural Policy Hub 2016 study, Making the Connection: Linking Micro-Energy Behaviour to Macro-Energy Challenges (supported by SEAI), shows that ONLY 8% of people in the East and Midlands Regional Assembly (E&MRA) area consider imported fossil fuels when they use energy. The other two regions - the NWRA and the SRA - follow very closely with 11% and 13% respectively.
Why are these figures significant?
Because at the present time, over 90% of Ireland’s energy is sourced from fossil fuels and our import dependency is 96%. In fact this level of imported fossil fuel puts us in the unenviable third worst position in the EU28. Eurostat released data on February 21st 2017 showed that EU dependency on imported fossil fuel is on the rise. Four countries showed increases in energy use when compared to 1990 figures – Ireland is one of those with an increase of 38%. The graph below shows fossil fuel shares in EU28.
The country with the least dependence on imported fossil fuels is Denmark – probably as a result of their use of their own renewable resources – namely wind. The ironic element of this is that Ireland has the best levels of wind IN THE WORLD for the generation of electricity but we simply are not exploiting that resource.
Final figures for 2014 in the Republic of Ireland can be seen in this graph from the Eirgrid Generation Capacity Statement for 2016 – 2025. It shows that 23% of our electricity generation came from renewable energy whilst the rest is from fossil fuel sources including gas, coal, peat and diesel. Apart from peat and a minute amount of gas, the rest of these fossil fuels are imported. Note: the portion of the donut titled ‘net import’ refers to electricity generated outside of Ireland and imported via interconnector.
The Rural Policy Hub conducted an awareness study in 2014 for Donegal Co Council (supported by SEAI). One of the key outcomes from that study was that in general the public is confused as to whether electricity in Ireland is generated from imports or not. Some said 100% is Irish sourced with others saying as low as 10%. In the more recent – and nationwide - study, Making the Connection (2016), results show that people want to be informed and if they are their energy use habits will change.
The upshot of the above is that as a result of all this imported fossil fuel we have high energy prices and a relatively large portion of our disposable income is being spent on energy compared to other EU nations. If we were more reliant on indigenous energy sources, our bills would be cheaper, our supply more secure and, since most of our national energy resources are renewable, our energy use more sustainable.
Other statistics from The Rural Policy Hub 2016 study will be available over the coming days and weeks.