Why We Need Renewables

The recent shocks that European economies have faced, from the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, to the invasion of Ukraine in 2023 and now the rewriting of global alliances and diplomacy across the western world, are having a lasting mark on Europe and are highlighting certain vulnerabilities. One of these vulnerabilities is energy security.

Most European countries can generate electricity from multiple sources i.e. gas, nuclear and renewables. They also have a greater interconnection of supply lines across the continent which seamlessly transfer energy across borders. However, Ireland is much more vulnerable. Energy prices in Ireland are among the highest in Europe, largely due to the fact that Ireland generates roughly 40% of its electricity from imported gas. Ireland is also the only country in the EU with no domestic gas storage facilities. It is predicted that if one of the two gas pipelines in the Irish sea were damaged by foreign aggressors, it would cause rolling electricity blackouts across the island and would take at least 6 months to repair which would have significant economic impacts. It is predicted that homes, hospitals, airports, universities, and roughly 250 large industrial plants (including in the pharmaceutical, dairy, and manufacturing sectors) would lose electricity supply for several months.

It is estimated that a 30-day electricity outage alone would cost the Irish economy an estimated €4.6 billion.

Becoming energy independent and self-sufficient is a long-term and smart investment in Ireland’s economic, environmental and social well-being. Renewables are the cheapest way to ensure Ireland’s energy security, while also reducing Green House Gas emissions the main contributor of the Climate Crisis.