Transport in Ireland – both private and public – is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. The transport sector represents 19 per cent of Ireland’s carbon emissions with road transport and private car usage carrying the most significant carbon footprint.
Electrification offers a route to expand renewable transport in Ireland and move away from imported fossil fuels.
However, this requires the rapid rollout of robust policies that acknowledge the flexibility EVs can provide for the grid, allows for vehicle charging at cheaper times and develops the infrastructure needed to support this transition.
The Government’s Climate Action Plan includes ambitious targets for the electrification of transport – from domestic EVs to commercial vans and bus fleets. Expanding the EV charging infrastructure is essential, and we need to support bus and rail services to electrify.
Addressing policy around grid connections is required if we are to see electric transport develop more rapidly. This means for example a flexible connection option if requested. Grid connection policy will be important for greater electrification of transport and will be the backbone of further electric transport expansion.
Consumers benefit
Using electricity to travel to work or school offers families, businesses and Irish industry an opportunity to move away from fossil fuels that currently dominate energy supply and to benefit from Ireland’s growing renewable electricity generation.
Ireland currently spends more than €1 million an hour importing fossil fuels. Prices for fossil fuels, as we have seen in recent years, are increasingly volatile and determined by international markets and political events.
Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has brought home to many the wisdom of moving to rely on our own energy, like wind and solar power, rather than being dependent on the good graces of others.
Our families, communities and businesses will continue to be vulnerable to extreme electricity prices while we rely on imported fossil fuels to generate our electricity.
Converting our cars, buses and trains to run on power from the wind and the sun reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. The more renewable energy we can connect, the more secure we make Ireland’s energy supply and the greater protection we have from international markets.
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