The problems with Ireland’s Energy Supply

MaREI’s Dr Paul Deane from University College Cork, wrote an opinion piece for RTE Brainstorm and spoke to RTÉ Radio 1’s News at One, on the SEAI report that climate pollution from electricity sector at lowest level in decades.

The Irish Government have little control over energy prices, but it doesn’t stop them from trying to intervene. Since 2021, the Government paid out over €2 billion in emergency electricity credits to households to dampen the impact of soaring electricity prices. It also set aside a further €1.2 billion euro in revenue through reductions in excise rates to alleviate increases in petrol and diesel costs

The reason why the Government have little control over energy prices is because Ireland produces very little of its own energy, and we rely on others to produce it. When you rely heavily on others for a product, you pay the price they demand, rather than the price you want to pay.

Read the full article here.