Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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37. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the percentage of the reported 6.8% emissions reduction in 2023 that is contributed by imported electricity; what this equates to in tonnes of carbon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39957/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The recently published EPA Greenhouse Gas emissions report highlights the very positive 6.8% reduction in emissions from electricity generation in 2023. Overall emissions from the Energy Industries sector in Ireland decreased by 21.6% in 2023, down 2.2 Mt CO2eq on last year. The emissions intensity of power generation decreased from 332g CO2/kWh in 2022 to a historic low of 255g CO2/kWh in 2023.

This decrease reflects the reductions in coal, fuel oil and natural gas use (-44.3%, -78.2%, and -7.2%) in electricity generation. There was also a substantial increase in the amount of imported electricity, accounting for 9.5% of electricity supply in 2023, becoming our third largest source of electricity, after natural gas (44.3%) and wind (33.7%).

In 2023, Ireland generated 3.3 TWh less electricity from fossil fuels than in 2022, balanced by just over 3 TWh more electricity imported through international interconnectors and 1 TWh more renewable generation in Ireland.

According to provisional figures from the EPA, that level of imported electricity would have resulted in additional emissions of over 1 Mt of CO2eq if generated in Ireland. Of the estimated 4 Mt CO2 eq reduction in overall emissions last year, the energy sector as a whole contributed 2.2 Mt CO2 eq, or 55% of that reduction.

The increasing number of interconnectors between the continent, Britain & Ireland is enabling greater sharing of solar, onshore and offshore wind as weather patterns move across North-West Europe. This increasing interconnection is reducing emissions, prices and improving security of supply across all the interconnected countries.