OFTEC IRELAND NEWS
LATEST STATISTICS SUGGEST PROGRESS IS STALLING WITH TOTAL ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION GENERATED FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES IN NORTHERN IRELAND DOWN YEAR ON YEAR, SAYS OFTEC IRELAND MANAGER DAVID BLEVINGS… Governments need to be more ambitious in incentivising change
Time is running out to deliver the 2030 renewables target in Northern Ireland. These are the words of the Northern Ireland Select Affairs Committee, which is asking for evidence on what measures and support need to be put in place to help the UK Government fulfil its legally- binding 2050 net zero pledge. The preamble of the consultation states: “Northern Ireland’s Executive set a target for 80% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. “However, the latest statistics reveal that progress is stalling. While 45.5% of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland was generated from renewable sources between July 2022 and June 2023, this figure is down on the year before. “With no renewable support scheme in place since 2017 and restricted grid
capacity, the potential for renewable energy expansion is limited. While the Executive has consulted on a new renewable support scheme, the launch is not expected until 2024 at the earliest. “Given the investment, planning and manufacture pipeline, time is running out to deliver the 2030 renewables target.” The Committee plans to use this inquiry to examine how Northern Ireland is preparing to reach its target, the barriers to its delivery and the government support necessary. So, there is an opportunity to offer an alternative solution to decarbonisation, one would suggest? On a positive note, the civil servants in the Department for the Economy have listened to the liquid fuel sector, have already held the first meeting of the
David Blevings, OFTEC Manager Ireland.
“Given the investment, planning and manufacture pipeline, time is running out to deliver the 2030 renewables target.”
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