Staff & Research Areas - IIEA - The Institute of International and European Affairs

Energy Efficiency Project

Buildings in Ireland account for approximately 25% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. A large body of Irish and international research suggests that the cheapest (sometimes negative cost) greenhouse gas abatement potential is to be found in energy efficiency. Within Ireland, where the quality of the older housing stock is poor by international standards, there is a pressing need to upgrade the housing stock.

The roll out of a national programme for energy efficiency retrofits based on SEI’s Home Energy Savings Scheme would have implications for exchequer finances, emissions, energy security, fuel poverty, employment in the construction sector, and economic growth.

The IIEA will therefore undertake research which will evaluate the economic, environmental, social and political case for the roll out of a national energy efficiency retrofit programme within the context of the anticipated introduction of a carbon tax in the December 2009 budget. The research will consider funding requirements and design options for such a programme.

The overall objective of the research project is to stimulate national debate on the best use of carbon tax revenues and to highlight the environmental, economic, social and political advantages and disadvantages of channelling funds into energy efficiency in the residential sector.

It is envisaged that a working paper will be produced in July 2009. Following on from this, a number of expert and stakeholder group meetings to review, discuss and amend the working paper prior to publication will be convened. This will allow broad-based stakeholder consultation and engagement in the project.

Findings will be published and presented to Government in September 2009.

Greenprint Report Launch (October 2009):

This publication was launched by Eamon Ryan, T.D. Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, on Wednesday 21st October in the Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

The report, written by IIEA Senior Researcher, Joseph Curtin, argues that in the midst of an economic crisis, a National Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme for Irelands residential housing stock offers the opportunity to create tens of thousands of jobs in the hard-hit construction sector, while addressing the profound challenges of energy security, climate change and fuel poverty. For more than a million households the result would be a warmer, greener, more valuable home with drastically reduced energy bills. The report presents options for how such a programme might be financed and rolled out.