Ireland is in the throes of a big switch to clean energy, yet ordinary people do not know what this means and what it requires of them, a study by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) has said.
It said “the energy transition” was technically under way, but “its meaning and impact for individuals, households and communities remains unclear”.
It warned that the transition would not be successfully negotiated without greater public understanding and participation.
In a paper published on Tuesday, the NESC, an advisory body to the Taoiseach and Government, argued the specific “ask” of people in Ireland in adopting clean energy had yet to be defined clearly.
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It also highlighted barriers preventing participation, notably around energy affordability and persistent energy poverty among vulnerable groups.
Households faced barriers to energy efficiency action including high upfront costs, complex grant processes, uncertainty and other practical issues, it noted.
“Households are largely ‘in the dark’ about their energy use and are not yet benefiting from some of the new opportunities from electricity usage such as dynamic tariffs and energy sharing,” NESC’s report said.
Meanwhile, the council said extreme weather events were highlighting the need for energy resilience at a local level.
“Energy communities are being supported, but are finding barriers to delivering projects to generate energy,” it said.
NESC policy analyst Dr Jeanne Moore said: “Individuals, households and communities can potentially play a very significant and immediate role in making energy savings, generating renewable energy and building energy resilience if enabled to do so.
“However, these opportunities and benefits are not yet available to all.”
The council has called for a fundamental shift in approach with a range of actions to support a just energy transition.
“Placing people and their wellbeing at the centre of the energy transition can help to ensure [it] is just, fair, equitable and inclusive,” it said.
Success hinged on deliberately strengthening connections between people and the energy system backed by “prioritising affordability and ending energy poverty”.
“Addressing long-term costs of the transition and how they will be shared is crucial and requires a clear approach beyond consumer bills,” it said.
Barriers must be removed to encourage the scaling-up of energy efficiency and transition to clean heating – such as heat pumps and district heating systems – to support increased uptake, NESC said.
This included making energy efficiency simpler, “using trusted messengers and local leaders, and supporting group delivery schemes”.
Households could become more active participants through demand-side management, microgeneration and energy sharing, it said.
“Increased measures to ensure equitable access for all could be supported by secure application of digital/AI technologies.”
NESC said it welcomed the growing numbers of “energy communities” who wanted to do more, but said there was a need to provide better early-stage funding to support heat-generation initiatives and energy sharing.
In a statement on the report, the Government acknowledged households and communities could potentially play “a very significant and immediate role in making energy savings, generating renewable energy and building energy resilience if enabled to do so”.
“The council brings fresh understanding to some of the societal considerations of a longer-term energy transition and identifies actions that can help address current policy challenges in supporting households and energy communities to act,” it said.
