Publications
Pathways for Ireland's Energy System to 2050
Ireland’s energy system must achieve net-zero emissions well before 2050 to meet carbon budgets consistent with the Paris Agreement commitment, requiring accelerated cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in power, buildings, industry and transport. Delays in implementing mitigation measures will increase costs and make it harder to meet carbon budgets, highlighting the urgency of immediate action to avoid locking in fossil fuel use and relying on uncertain carbon removals.
- Authors
Prof Hannah Daly, Dr. Vahid Aryanpur, Dr. Paul Deane, Bakytzhan Suleimenov
- Year
- 2024
- Category
- Report
- Keywords
- Energy Transition, Ireland, Decarbonisation, 2050
- Link to Publication
- /en/media/research/energypolicyandmodellinggroup/PATHWAYSFORIRELAND’SENERGYSYSTEMTO2050.pdf
Abstract
This report outlines multiple scenarios for Ireland’s energy system from now until 2050, under varying levels of climate ambition. It focuses primarily on the decade after 2030 to inform the Climate Change Advisory Council’s (CCAC) assessment of third and fourth carbon budgets. Developed iteratively by the Energy Policy and Modelling Group in UCC in 2023-24 as part of the Carbon Budgets Working Group (appointed by the CCAC), the scenarios present the necessary investments, mitigation measures, and choices across energy supply, electricity, transport, heating, and industry under carbon budgets of different stringency, with varying assumptions about near-term decarbonisation and future energy demands.