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Environmental Indicators Ireland 2023

Energy

Renewable energy accounted for 39% of electricity generation in Ireland in 2022

Online ISSN: 2009-9533

CSO statistical release, 14 December 2023, 11am

COVID-19 Release Information

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 may have had an impact on the trend in some of the indicators (such as emissions to air, transport and energy) in this publication.

7.1 Ireland: Primary energy production 1990-2022

Total primary energy production in Ireland was 3.5 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) in 1990. It fell to 1.3 million toe in 2012. In 2022 it was 3.2 million toe.

Natural gas, as a proportion of total primary energy production declined from 54% in 1990 to 6% in 2015. It increased to 59% in 2016 with the coming on stream of the Corrib Gas Field and declined to 37% in 2022.

Peat products peaked at 57% of total primary energy production in 2003. By 2022 they had fallen to 4% of this total.

The share of renewable energy in primary energy production increased from 5% of primary energy production in 1990 to 54% in 2022.

Table 7.1 Ireland: Primary energy production 1990-2022

7.2 EU: Final energy consumption by fuel type 2021

Renewable energy accounted for 5% of Ireland’s total final energy consumption in 2021. This was the joint lowest in the EU27 (with Luxembourg and the Netherlands). Finland had the highest share of renewable energy in 2021 at 29% while the EU27 average was 12%.

Oil accounted for 50% of Ireland’s total final energy consumption in 2021 compared with an EU27 average of 35%. Sweden and Finland were the EU member states with the lowest share of oil used in final energy consumption at 21%, while Luxembourg had the highest share at 56%.

Table 7.2 EU: Final energy consumption by fuel type 2021

7.3 Ireland: Renewable energy production 1990-2022

The amount of renewable energy production in Ireland has increased continuously from 168 kilotonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe) in 1990 to 1,712 ktoe in 2022.

Wind has been the main source of renewable energy production in Ireland in recent years. In 2022, 56% of renewable energy production was attributable to wind and 24% to biomass and renewable waste. The share of renewable energy accounted for by hydro power fell from 36% in 1990 to 4% in 2022.

Year	Wind	Biomass & Renewable Waste	Liquid Biofuel	Ambient heat	Hydro	Landfill Gas	Biogas	Solar
1990-1994	0.6708	95.0947357249892	0	0.04776	67.854	0	2.803512	0.090744
1995-1999	7.4992	98.6195231333246	0	0.04776	66.6672	14.5668	3.91632	0.105072
2000-2004	35.69	124.808205022133	0	0.818257977502673	61.6276	20.622768	6.390288	0.181488
2005-2009	172.9898951138	175.292254865928	14.5709351473411	9.72896315896389	66.9452567380939	33.6103726498694	10.6234133668647	2.22819334827027
2010-2014	359.25687438804	221.159850590567	23.6743189973304	18.984937137543	58.7623911454991	41.5465156925089	13.1144675446874	9.34875627776277
	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015	565.277794202	259.559295872138	24.297435161472	27.0062107170956	69.35815599686	41.7363299266484	13.6055453238044	11.6989299366489
2016	528.645676013665	293.026256031662	24.408520011744	32.3018988564662	58.568191835904	39.6625552900423	15.9234854435111	12.5201572210262
2017	640.187141481096	341.346299979082	28.377847851888	38.9332345881539	59.477849641144	38.9846449668077	16.4594524894714	13.4858535070851
2018	743.019922815326	388.907211964388	33.733667309472	44.0110316574376	59.69170898797	33.5318188680554	16.8131325765349	15.1135412966256
2019	861.675657399326	374.04048026248	45.694381461456	53.5610522945522	76.246216633584	31.7677199351917	18.859900908698	16.5885554781061
2020	993.250122774726	369.482325020444	57.447935772864	65.8783854033087	80.208366922724	29.2973095191293	20.978752439278	18.6718880524681
2021	840.940724443637	375.931944400802	80.622899519808	79.1175907023475	64.443382927958	29.4015162135914	22.6744038864252	20.8752354283274
2022	963.92	403.07	104.29	100.32	60.3	25.78	27.53	26.83

7.4 Ireland: Electricity generation from renewable sources 1990-2022

The share of renewable energy sources used in the generation of electricity in Ireland has increased from 5% in 1990 to 39% in 2022.

Wind is the main source of renewables used in electricity generation, with its share rising from 0% in 1990 to 33% of the total kilotonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe) used to generate electricity in Ireland in 2022.

Table 7.3 Ireland: Electricity generation from renewable sources 1990-2022

7.5 EU: Gross final electricity consumption from renewable sources 2021

Ireland’s share of gross final electricity consumption from renewable sources in 2021 at 36% was 11^th highest among EU Member States and close to the EU27 average of 38%.

Austria had the highest proportion of gross final electricity consumption from renewable sources at 76% and Malta the lowest at 10% in 2021.

Country	Total gross final electricity consumption
Austria	76.185
Sweden	75.704
Denmark	62.647
Portugal	58.433
Croatia	53.471
Latvia	51.397
Spain	45.962
Germany	43.681
Romania	42.489
Finland	39.531
EU27	37.506
Ireland	36.403
Italy	35.996
Greece	35.934
Slovenia	34.976
Netherlands	30.394
Estonia	29.34
Belgium	26.013
France	25.016
Slovakia	22.369
Lithuania	21.278
Bulgaria	18.79
Poland	17.166
Cyprus	14.84
Czechia	14.544
Luxembourg	14.217
Hungary	13.66
Malta	9.655

7.6 Ireland: Transport energy consumption from renewable sources 2006-2022

Renewable energy sources used in transport have grown from 0.1% of total transport energy consumption in 2006 to 6.1% in 2022. Biodiesel accounted for 5.6% of transport energy consumption in 2022 and biogasoline for 0.4%.

Table 7.4 Ireland: Transport energy consumption from renewable sources 2006-2022

7.7 Ireland: Net imports of fuel 1990-2022

Ireland’s net imports of fuel in 1990 was 7.1 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe). Net fuel imports peaked in 2008 at 15.1 million toe. By 2020, it had decreased to 9.9 million toe, but in 2022 it increased to 11.7 million toe.

The proportion of net fuel imports accounted for by natural gas varied from 0% in 1990 to 34% in 2010. In 2022 it was 28%.

Crude oil and other oil products (such as diesel, gasoline and jet kerosene) accounted for 62% of all Irish net fuel imports in 2022.

The proportion of net fuel imports accounted for by coal products and peat was 8% in 2022 down from 28% in 1990.

Table 7.5 Ireland: Net imports of fuel 1990-2022

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Table 7.3 Ireland: Electricity generation from renewable sources 1990-2022
% of total electricity generation
Year	Wind	Hydro	Biomass and Renewable Waste	Other	Total
1990-1994 average	0.0%	5.1%	0.0%	0.0%	5.1%
1995-1999 average	0.4%	3.9%	0.0%	0.3%	4.6%
2000-2004 average	1.6%	2.8%	0.0%	0.4%	4.8%
2005-2009 average	6.8%	2.7%	0.1%	0.5%	10.1%
2010-2014 average	15.0%	2.4%	0.8%	0.7%	19.0%

2015	22.8%	2.8%	1.0%	0.7%	27.3%
2016	20.8%	2.3%	1.6%	0.7%	25.5%
2017	24.8%	2.3%	1.8%	0.7%	29.6%
2018	28.0%	2.2%	2.2%	0.7%	33.0%
2019	32.0%	2.8%	2.1%	0.7%	37.6%
2020	36.3%	2.9%	2.4%	0.7%	42.3%
2021	29.5%	2.3%	2.5%	0.8%	35.0%
2022	33.1%	2.1%	2.5%	0.9%	38.6%
Source: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

Table 7.4 Ireland: Transport energy consumption from renewable sources 2006-2022
% of total transport energy consumption
Year	Biodiesel	Biogasoline	Renewable electricity	Pure plant oil	Total
2006-2009 average	0.6%	0.3%	0.0%	0.0%	0.9%
2010-2014 average	1.9%	0.8%	0.0%	0.0%	2.7%

2015	2.6%	0.8%	0.0%	0.0%	3.4%
2016	2.1%	0.8%	0.0%	0.0%	3.0%
2017	3.3%	0.8%	0.0%	0.0%	4.1%
2018	3.2%	0.7%	0.0%	0.0%	3.9%
2019	4.0%	0.7%	0.1%	0.0%	4.7%
2020	4.6%	0.6%	0.1%	0.0%	5.2%
2021	5.1%	0.5%	0.1%	0.0%	5.7%
2022	5.6%	0.4%	0.1%	0.0%	6.1%
Source: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

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Environmental Indicators Ireland 2023

Energy

Energy

Renewable energy accounted for 39% of electricity generation in Ireland in 2022

COVID-19 Release Information

7.1 Ireland: Primary energy production 1990-2022

7.2 EU: Final energy consumption by fuel type 2021

7.3 Ireland: Renewable energy production 1990-2022

7.4 Ireland: Electricity generation from renewable sources 1990-2022

7.5 EU: Gross final electricity consumption from renewable sources 2021

7.6 Ireland: Transport energy consumption from renewable sources 2006-2022

7.7 Ireland: Net imports of fuel 1990-2022

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Table 7.1 Ireland: Primary energy production 1990-2022
% of total primary energy production					'000 toe
Year	Natural gas	Peat	Renewables	Non-renewable (Wastes)	Total
1990-1994 average	60%	35%	5%	0%	3,374
1995-1999 average	57%	36%	6%	0%	3,087
2000-2004 average	38%	48%	14%	0%	1,840
2005-2009 average	24%	45%	31%	0%	1,572
2010-2014 average	10%	48%	40%	2%	1,850

2015	6%	39%	52%	4%	1,963
2016	59%	16%	24%	2%	4,244
2017	58%	15%	24%	2%	4,888
2018	55%	16%	26%	3%	5,048
2019	52%	9%	36%	3%	4,161
2020	46%	4%	46%	4%	3,564
2021	41%	4%	50%	5%	3,043
2022	37%	4%	54%	5%	3,153
Source: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

Table 7.2 EU: Final energy consumption by fuel type 2021
% of total final energy consumption
Country	Renewable energy	Oil	Electricity	Gas	Solid fossil fuels	Other	Total
Finland	29%	21%	28%	3%	0%	18%	100%
Sweden	27%	21%	34%	1%	1%	15%	100%
Latvia	26%	33%	15%	9%	0%	17%	100%
Portugal	19%	41%	26%	12%	0%	2%	100%
Croatia	19%	38%	21%	17%	2%	5%	100%
Estonia	17%	32%	24%	9%	0%	17%	100%
Austria	17%	34%	21%	19%	1%	9%	100%
Romania	16%	33%	16%	26%	3%	6%	100%
Slovenia	15%	42%	24%	13%	0%	5%	100%
Lithuania	15%	38%	17%	11%	3%	16%	100%
Bulgaria	14%	36%	26%	13%	4%	6%	100%
Czechia	14%	27%	20%	22%	6%	11%	100%
Cyprus	14%	55%	25%	0%	3%	3%	100%
Denmark	13%	35%	20%	12%	1%	20%	100%
Slovakia	12%	26%	21%	26%	4%	11%	100%
Greece	12%	50%	28%	8%	1%	0%	100%
Poland	12%	35%	17%	15%	12%	10%	100%
EU27	12%	35%	23%	23%	2%	6%	100%
France	11%	37%	27%	21%	1%	3%	100%
Hungary	11%	30%	19%	32%	1%	7%	100%
Italy	10%	34%	22%	30%	0%	3%	100%
Germany	9%	33%	21%	29%	2%	7%	100%
Spain	8%	47%	25%	19%	0%	0%	100%
Belgium	7%	37%	21%	31%	1%	2%	100%
Malta	6%	52%	42%	0%	0%	0%	100%
Luxembourg	5%	56%	16%	18%	1%	4%	100%
Netherlands	5%	29%	21%	40%	0%	5%	100%
Ireland	5%	50%	23%	18%	2%	2%	100%
Source: Eurostat

Table 7.5 Ireland: Net imports of fuel 1990-2022
% of total							'000 toe
Year	Coal products and peat	Crude oil	Other oil products	Natural Gas	Renewables	Electricity	Total net imports
1990-1994 average	27%	29%	45%	0%	0%	0%	7,020
1995-1999 average	18%	28%	44%	10%	0%	0%	9,725
2000-2004 average	13%	24%	41%	22%	0%	0%	13,439
2005-2009 average	11%	22%	40%	26%	0%	1%	14,525
2010-2014 average	10%	24%	32%	32%	1%	1%	12,325

2015	12%	29%	29%	29%	1%	0%	12,645
2016	12%	32%	40%	16%	1%	-1%	10,364
2017	13%	30%	42%	14%	2%	-1%	9,892
2018	9%	30%	43%	17%	1%	-0%	10,171
2019	2%	25%	47%	23%	2%	1%	10,389
2020	2%	30%	37%	29%	2%	-0%	9,901
2021	9%	27%	34%	28%	1%	1%	11,138
2022	8%	27%	36%	28%	1%	0%	11,716
Source : Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland