Post: Ireland votes in snap general election

Ireland votes in snap general election

Irish voters have begun heading to the polls in a closely fought general election. Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris had called for snap polls earlier this month. Voters will elect new Teachtaí Dála – members of Ireland’s lower house of parliament, the Dáil. Here we examine what the manifestos say on climate change and energy.

Fianna Fáil

In its manifesto Fianna Fáil said it seeks to lower energy prices through “accelerated investment in low-cost renewable energy and cheaper distribution as well as a reform of how energy prices are set”. The party also noted that climate action is not just about meeting targets. Greener systems mean warmer, more comfortable homes; safer and healthier communities; and better protection for our stunning scenery and natural environment. Given the increase in data centre energy use, it also intends to encourage data centres and other industries to supply waste heat for community projects.

It will also

• create a Minister of State for Energy to lead the energy transition
• support the European Commission proposal for a 90% reduction in EU emissions by 2040 and adopt 2035 and 2040 national carbon budgets in line with that
• increase state capacity to lead the way in short- and long-term climate action and follow through on our commitments regarding carbon tax to ensure that carbon efficient practices are rewarded and to fund continued investment in environmental practices
• switch to direct State funding of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, reducing the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy on businesses’ electricity bills
• reform the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), by introducing new corporate governance structures, updating network funding charges and changing the current legislation
• expedite delivery of wind energy by building more onshore and offshore wind farms. This will include: completing a west coast floating offshore wind test site by 2026, delivering 9GW of onshore wind, 8GW of solar and at least 5GW of offshore wind by 2030, repowering the 76 windfarms reaching the end of life in 2030, and publishing the Revised Wind Energy Development Guidelines, and funding solar panels for every school.
• support hybrid connections to share grid access between multiple renewable sources
• explore alternative energy storage models, such as grid-to-vehicle/ vehicle-to-grid systems.
• hold two Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions annually
• increase incentives for data centres to use energy efficient technologies, renewable energy sources and innovative solutions like heat reuse to significantly lower their carbon footprint
• work with ports to support their infrastructure investments to facilitate offshore renewable energy development

Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin used its manifesto set out plans to “transform the state’s approach to climate action, from where public investment is directed to how the transition is funded”. It said if elected it would (among other measures):

• target environmental taxes on excessive consumption through a pollution tax on private jets 
• reform the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy to one levied on total demand rather than peak demand, changing the flat-rate levy to a progressive charge. The PSO Levy is collected from or paid to all electricity customers to fund schemes to support national policy objectives related to renewable energy for Ireland
• improve spatial planning by implementing the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive III
• publish new Wind Energy Guidelines and the adoption of a ‘plan led’ approach to energy development and review lifetime planning permissions for any new onshore wind farm to assess alignment with the operational lifetime of the grid connection
• introduce a policy for the repowering of existing wind projects, under the Contracts for Difference model
• establish a new task force to reduce the cost of renewable energy
• increase investment in grid expansions and upgrades and enhance off-grid connectivity including the development of a national energy storage strategy, investment in energy storage and establishing peer to peer ‘Energy Sharing’ initiatives  
• develop a coherent industrial strategy for all renewable technologies
• introduce planning conditions that require prospective very high energy users to produce or contribute financially to the production of additional renewable electricity at least equal to their needs at any given time, ending tax relief to data centres 
• expedite the delivery of a framework for hybrid connections which could let multiple renewable projects join to the grid via one connection aiding the pace of delivery and lowering costs.
• establish a Renewable Energy Investment scheme to expand state-owned equity in renewables

Fine Gael

Fine Gael said it is committed to making Ireland resilient to climate change, recognising that achieving our climate goals is essential to our future economic success.

• support renewable energy in schools by helping schools install solar panels and other renewable technology to reduce emissions and heating costs
• develop green skills courses and provide extended tax relief for short-term skills courses in high-demand areas like green energy, AI, life sciences, and data analytics
• establish a dedicated government division with a mandate for energy and communications that will focus on the development of renewable energy infrastructure, the energy grid, and broadband networks, supporting Ireland’s green transition. And a Climate Resilience and Adaptation division to oversee climate change adaptation in infrastructure, prioritising sustainable and resilient construction practices
• expand electric vehicle (EV) uptake by increasing the number of publicly available EV charging points four-fold to nearly 10,000, examine the current EV grant system, focusing on potential additional support for residents in areas with limited public transport options, and explore the feasibility of a Vehicle Scrappage Scheme. It will also consider grants for solar storage batteries to encourage EV ownership and allow users to store energy for charging at optimal times
• expand Ireland’s renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and emerging technologies, while ensuring security of supply
• prioritise the publication of Designated Maritime Area Plans (DMAPs) and increase resources for responsible agencies to accelerate offshore wind projects. Ensure communities are consulted on wind capacity projects and benefit directly from them and develop port infrastructure to facilitate upcoming offshore renewable energy projects, with a regionally balanced approach
• develop green energy industrial parks to attract large-scale investments in regional locations, co-located with renewable generation, and inspired by successful international models
• support data centres as “renewable catalysts” by allowing data centres that contribute to economic growth and efficient grid usage, prioritising waste heat capture for district heating systems
• focus on reducing emissions from Ireland’s biggest industrial emitters to achieve the most significant impact first and develop a targeted roadmap to help manufacturers transition to low-carbon heating solutions in their production processes
• continue with the planned carbon tax increase to reach €100 per tonne of CO₂ by 2030, aligning with recommendations from the Climate Change Advisory Council and scientific experts.

Social Democrats

The Social Democrats said that in government, that party will:

• scale up capacity within Bord na Móna and the ESB to deliver large renewable energy projects for the purpose of exploiting wind energy, both on and offshore
• invest to upgrade our port infrastructure to allow for the development of offshore wind farms, including allowing for the transport of materials to facilitate the maintenance and ongoing operation of offshore infrastructure
• invest to improve the interconnectivity between Ireland and other countries to manage high levels of wind and solar on the grid, which requires optimising a wide range of technologies and solutions, including: battery storage, demand response, and  transmission
• pursue policies to increase the electrification of heating and transport systems, including increased funding for electric vehicles
• boost investment in upgrading the nations’ electricity grid infrastructure, to allow for expanded future growth in electrification
• invest in storage technologies that will allow us to capture energy from intermittent sources that would otherwise go to waste
• acknowledge that while offshore wind capacity is being planned and built, there will be a need for back-up fuel. As such it will examine the possibility of using hydrogen as a viable backup
• replace the temporary Energy Security Emergency Group with a permanent Energy Security Group, which would analyse issues of energy security going forward
• build on existing grant schemes to support the purchase of microgeneration technologies in residential and commercial buildings, on farms, in public buildings and in the community. It will also install solar panels on 100,000 homes per year as part of a sustained state-led effort to harness the power-generating capability of the technology
• enact a moratorium on the development of data centres and the issuing of planning decisions as an interim measure until an economic, environmental and energy impact risk analysis has been carried out and mandate data centres to supply waste heat to district heating networks. It would also implement the CRU (Commission for the Regulation of Utilities) proposals that would require EirGrid and ESB Networks to prioritise connection applications from data centres in accordance with a series of factors, including: whether data centres generate enough energy on site themselves to support their demand for electricity, can be flexible in reducing their consumption at times of system constraint, have chosen a location that is mindful of grid constraints, and/or have the ability to provide onsite dispatchable generation and/or storage

Green Party

The Green Party used its manifesto to pledge:

• implementation of the new EU Directive on the energy performance of buildings by raising the minimum energy standards for new buildings and requiring the installation of solar panels where feasible
• fill gaps to target in existing Climate Action Plans by advancing policies for additional electricity interconnection and long duration storage
• selling more AIB shares and using the proceeds to further increase exchequer investment in Eirgrid. This will further reduce energy bills for households and businesses, ensuring that the energy transition is a just one
• continue the wind energy revolution, committing to making it a new pillar of our future economic development
• encourage solar development through grants, planning exemptions, and the provision of free solar panels to schools, community centres, and sports clubs and to grand aid solar installation for farmers via Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS) and make solar panels free for low-income households
• promote two new interconnectors with the UK and two new interconnection points with the continent, including new hybrid interconnections with offshore wind projects in the DMAP development zones
• implement a new spatial policy to ensure onshore wind and solar farms are situated in the right places, delivering real benefits to communities and guarantee that local communities can benefit from the growth in clean energy by improving the conditions of the Community Benefit Fund. It will also make the €400 microgeneration tax credit available to people who invest in renewable energy cooperatives
• it will also continue the pilot non-domestic microgeneration scheme to support increased deployment of solar power on commercial and community buildings
• only support the development of new data centres if developers can demonstrate that they can be 100% carbon neutral, do not threaten Agriculture our security of electricity supply, and do not risk overwhelming the grid

Labour Party

In its manifesto the Labour Party set out pledges to:

• create new, green jobs in the circular and sustainable energy economy
• revitalise industries, buildings, and trades to kickstart a people’s energy transition movement
• outline a new framework to deliver critical enabling infrastructure such as grid, ports, and advanced energy parks and put in place an administrative “one stop shop” with a National Energy Coordinator to deliver the plan
• ensure that by the end of 2025 we have accelerated and completed the zoning of our offshore development areas, designated Marine Protected Areas, and initiated a process to develop scalable floating demonstration projects
• develop a national energy storage strategy with increased investment in battery and thermal storage options alongside projects like Silvermines Hydro and seek changes to EU rules to define pumped hydroelectricity plants as energy storage, and part of grid operations, rather than as power stations
• introduce a moratorium on new data centre developments until a robust legislative and regulatory framework is established that ensures they pose no threat to our binding limits on climate pollution or the security of our electricity supply. We will establish a transparent register of all data centres and large energy users to track their energy and water demand and require all existing data centres to develop decarbonisation plans within 12 months