ESB has launched a call to action to the Irish public and industry to help the country move to a clean energy future by embracing electric heat and transport. ESB is showcasing the steps that everyone can take such as using electric heat pumps and electric vehicles to make energy savings, improve air quality and help meet Ireland’s carbon reduction targets.
Ireland’s transition to reliable, affordable low-carbon energy
The call to action is a central pillar of ESB’s strategy through to 2030 that commits to leading Ireland’s transition to reliable, affordable low-carbon energy for the benefits of its customers and the wider economy.
Pat O’Doherty, chief executive of ESB said: “Our strategic ambition for the years ahead is to deliver reliable, affordable, low carbon energy for Ireland which focuses on the electrification of heat and transport.
“Engaged, informed customers are at the heart of this ambition. Through this call to action, we want to help people make informed choices about their current and future energy needs so that they can save money, future proof their investments and live more comfortable and convenient lives, while also contributing to a better environment for all.”
Over the next decade, ESB will replace its high carbon emitting generation plants with low carbon and renewable alternatives as part of a longer-term plan to fully remove carbon from electricity generation by 2050.
Company will continue to invest in smart network technologies
In tandem with this, the company will continue to invest in smart network technologies to increase network resilience, accommodate more renewable generation on the system and enable the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, battery storage and electric heat pumps.
“Removing carbon from electricity generation is an important and necessary step but it will only address one fifth of Ireland’s carbon challenge," O'Doherty said.
"However, if we use clean electricity to heat our homes and fuel our cars, we have the potential to reduce carbon emissions by more than 50 per cent. Electric vehicles and heat pumps are more than three times as efficient as conventional technologies, so there are immediate and longer-term benefits for customers.
“By 2050, the population of Ireland is expected to grow by about 30 per cent, resulting in about half a million more homes being built, and a million more cars on the roads. This will massively increase our carbon output unless we completely transform the way we produce and consume energy”, he concluded.
As part of the call to action, ESB is highlighting to the public, across television, radio and digital media, the critical role electricity has played in enhancing Irish life since the construction of Ireland’s first power station at Ardnacrusha more than 90 years ago and how ESB is leading the secure, affordable transition to a clean energy future for Ireland.