Ireland Energy Information

Total Energy Consumption

In 2020, consumption per capita was 2.6 toe (down from 3.2 toe in 2010) and 10% below the EU average. Per capita electricity consumption was 5 700 kWh in 2020, in line with the EU average.

Graph: CONSUMPTION TRENDS BY ENERGY SOURCE (Mtoe)

Interactive Chart Ireland Total Energy Consumption

Crude Oil Production

There is currently no oil production. Providence Resources was the first company to report commercially viable oil flow from its Barryroe well in 2012.

Ireland imports all its crude oil and about 85% of its refined product needs. Ireland's oil dependency is among the highest in the EU.

Ireland has just one oil refinery, the Whitegate refinery located in Cork, with a capacity of 75 kb/d. It processes crude, mainly sourced from the North Sea, North Africa, and West Africa.

Interactive Chart Ireland Crude Oil Production

Oil Products Consumption

The consumption of oil products decreased by 8% in 2020 to 5.7 Mt. Previously, it had increased by 1.3%/year since 2013. It decreased at the rapid pace of 6%/year between 2006 and 2013.

Oil absorbs 55% of oil demand (2020), followed by the residential-tertiary sector (30%) and industry (11%) (including non-energy uses).

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

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Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Interactive Chart Ireland Refined Oil Products Production

Natural Gas Consumption

Natural gas consumption rebounded in 2015 (+16%) and rose to 5.6 bcm in 2020 (+1.9%/year increase between 2016-2021). In 2021, gas consumption decreased by 9% to 5.1 bcm. It decreased sharply (-5.5%/year) between its peak level in 2010 at 5.5 bcm and 2014, as a result of a reduction in power generation from gas (-10%/year).

Graph: NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION (bcm)

Interactive Chart Ireland Natural Gas Domestic Consumption

Coal Consumption

The consumption of coal and peat dropped from 6 Mt in 2016 to 2.6 Mt in 2020 (-50%).

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

The electricity sector absorbs 58% of coal and peat consumption, followed by the residential-tertiary sector with 31%.

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Interactive Chart Ireland Coal and Lignite Domestic Consumption

Power Consumption

Electricity consumption reached 30 TWh in 2021. It has increased by 2.2%/year since 2014, after a decrease between 2008 and 2012 (-2.3%/year), driven by the economic crisis.

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (TWh)

Services are the largest electricity consumers with 45%, followed by households (30%) and industry (23%).

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Renewable in % Electricity Production

SEAI is also the agency in charge of the implementation of the renewable energy policy.

The national objective (set according to the EU Directive on renewables) to increase the share of renewables in final energy consumption to 16% in 2020 was met, of which 40% was for electricity (42% in 2020), 12% for heat (6.3%), and 10% in transport (10.2%). For 2030, the target set in the NECP is to reach a share of 34.1% of renewables in final energy consumption (80% of which for electricity).

Interactive Chart Ireland Share of Renewables in Electricity Production (incl hydro)

CO₂ Fuel Combustion/CO₂ Emissions

GHG emissions in 2020 were 5% above their 1990 level at 64 MtCO₂. Emissions in 2020 had been decreasing by 2.7%/year since 2017; previously, they had been increasing by 1.6%/year since 2012. These emissions fell by 15%, from their 2005 peak level of 78 MtCO₂ to 65 MtCO₂ in 2012, because of the economic crisis, and have been generally decreasing since then.