OA: Ireland's Energy

in 2023 how much of of Ireland’s electricity was generated by renewable sources

40.7%

what is the irish governments target for electricity generates from renewable sources by 2030

80%

What does the Bord Gáis energy network comprise of?

• 2,169km high pressure steel transmission pipeline

• 9,765km of distribution pipelines

Where do the seabed pipelines from UK?

2 to Ireland

1 to N.Ireland

National Oil Reserve Agency?

A state body responsible for holding national strategic oil stock

What is Ireland’s only oil refinery?

Whitegate, Co. Cork

Nuclear Energy in Europe + Ireland

Used as additional source of energy

• High rates across Europe

• Ireland doesn’t have

Which energy source remains important?

Coal

Ireland’s Energy Use:

Transport?

>40%

Ireland’s Energy Use:

Residential?

22%

Ireland’s Energy Use:

Industry?

21%

Pareto Principle?

Small few within population responsible for bulk of impacts

80/20 rule

What happened to energy during recession?

the economic downturn reduced energy demand

Problems with energy security?

• Energy system disruptions due to extreme weather or accidents

• Short-term balancing supply and demand in electricity markets

• regulatory failures

• concentration of fossil fuel resources in geopolitically unstable areas

How many days does Ireland have to hold in oil reserves?

90 days

How much of our natural gas is imported?

70%

→ from scotland

About Kinsale Gas Field

• allowed gas storage in summer when demand is low

• Had capacity to store 70m m3

  • 2006-2017

What is dominant solid fuel in ireland

Coal, 70%

What is the other solid fuel?

Peat

Energy Efficiency

The quickest, most effective, and most economic way to reduce energy usage + emissions

• insulating houses

• switching off lights

renewable energy overview

increasing

→ hydro, wind, + biomass need to be expanded

→ solar

→ geothermal

→ nuclear energy

nuclear fission?

splits uranium atoms by firing a neutron into nucleus of the atom

uses for nuclear fission

• produces energy for electricity

• produces heat that heats water to convert to stem which drives turbines producing electricity

Nuclear fusion?

hydrogen atoms come together to form helium atoms, neutrons, and vast amounts of energy