The Climate Change Advisory Council says it is disappointed that a law to ensure energy customers get the best deal, both for their pocket and for the environment is not yet in place.
The Climate Change Advisory Council says the government and the regulator “must ensure that electricity suppliers offer customers price plans that allow them to save money, change consumption patterns and reduce emissions.”
The deadline for delivering the legislation has been delayed, the advisory council says.
Marie Donnelly, Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, said that despite the installation of “almost two million smart meters, people, households and businesses cannot easily access data on the consumption of their electricity to avail of better tariffs.”
“Electricity suppliers must provide new tariffs, as set out in legislation, which is vital to both altering consumption patterns and shifting electricity usage away from peak times and saving people, households and businesses money.
It is for these reasons that we are calling on the CRU [Commission for Regulation of Utilities] to reconsider its decision to extend the deadline for electricity suppliers to offer these new tariffs.”
The continued reliance on harmful imported fossil fuels for electricity generation means Ireland’s electricity is more carbon intensive than many other EU members, the advisory council warns.
The Council has called for an “accelerated roll out of renewable energy to enable Ireland to transition away from its reliance on fossil fuels.”
It warns that Ireland risks going backwards without a concerted effort.
The permitted use of a fifth of Ireland’s onshore wind farms are set to end by 2030, it warns.
The Climate Change Advisory Council is also worried about the viability and stability of Ireland’s infrastructure.
Storms Darragh and Éowyn which highlighted the vulnerability of the electricity network, the Council said.
Across Europe, there are renewed questions about energy grids after Spain and Portugal experienced a huge blackout last week.
Marie Donnelly said that after Ireland’s big storms in recent years, the risks to the grid are clearly there.
“We have seen how vulnerable the grid has been to extreme weather events, and this provides us with a snapshot into what we can expect in the future.
It is vital that there is a significantly strengthened grid, with further capital investments made to ensure that the electricity network can support the transition away from fossil fuels to more renewable electricity.”
In response to the report, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications said the government is “accelerating the decarbonisation of Ireland’s energy system”.
“The Department recognises the role that Ireland’s households and communities can play in the transition to a renewables-led energy system, by flexibly managing their energy in response to the level of renewables on the grid. By doing so, consumers can lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. Ireland’s Energy Security Package commits the Government to improving ways that homes and businesses can manage their energy use – through smart metering and smart energy services and technologies.
The Department notes the decision by the CRU to extend the requirement for five suppliers to offer a standard dynamic price contract, from 1 October 2025 to 1 June 2026, but welcomes the clarification that any supplier can introduce a dynamic price contract to the market before then.”