Modern societies consume huge amounts of energy — to heat homes and offices, fuel transport systems, power industry and generate electricity. Ireland is no exception; and as our economy grows, so does our demand for energy.
Today, most of this energy is produced using fossil fuels such as gas, oil, coal and peat. These are finite resources — sooner or later they will run out.
Renewable energy resources, on the other hand, are constantly replenished through the cycles of nature. The sun, wind, running water, organic materials like wood and even wastes from domestic and agricultural activities are all potential sources of energy. Their supply will never be exhausted.
Ireland is richly endowed with renewable energy resources. They offer a real alternative for our energy needs.
Environmental & Strategic Imperatives
We now know that large-scale use of fossil fuels cannot be sustained in the long term.
Burning fossil fuels releases vast quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. CO₂ is a potent greenhouse gas. Releasing so much of it threatens the future of the global environment by causing global warming. This problem is taken very seriously at an international level. Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries have agreed to legally binding quotas to limit or reduce CO₂ emissions by the year 2010. But in 1999, Ireland has already reached its quota. Other gases released in the fossil fuel combustion process cause acid rain. Ireland currently imports around 85% of the fuels required to produce our energy. This import reliance is not a secure position for our economy. Fossil fuels are finite resources. They will become increasingly scarce and expensive to extract, and supplies will become concentrated in politically volatile areas of the world before reserves are finally exhausted.
We can’t just switch from fossil fuels immediately. But a gradual shift towards renewable energy would mean:
- reduced CO₂ emissions
- cleaner, less polluting energy production
- secure and stable energy supply for the long term
- reduced reliance on expensive fuel imports
- investment and employment in our indigenous renewable energy projects, often in rural and underdeveloped areas