The war in Ukraine has exposed just how reliant we as a nation are on fossil fuels from abroad. About 85% of Ireland's energy comes from fossil fuels. While we don’t import significant volumes from Russia, we do see the consequences of the war in the prices we pay for electricity, heating and transport.
However, we can lay the foundation for fossil fuel removal across the rest of the economy by producing most of our electricity from wind and solar. The Government already have a target to increase annual electricity production from 40% last year to 80% in 2030, meaning that wind and solar will be the main sources of electricity in Ireland soon.
From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, Norman Crowley from Crowley Carbon on solar energy production in Ireland With many applications to be scrutinised each year, it is important that bodies such as An Bord Pleanála, local county councils and the National Parks & Wildlife Service have adequate staff and resources to deal correctly with applications. This needs to be done in a manner that doesn’t compromise the integrity of the process, but does allow it to move faster so we can move away from fossil fuels quickly.
The second challenge in ramping up renewables is a technical issue. The electricity system is the heart of a modern economy and this heart must beat at a regular rhythm and be strong for the power system to operate correctly.