The EU's 2020 targets for emissions reductions, renewable energy and energy efficiency form a cornerstone of EU energy policy. The EU aims to deliver a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, a 20% reduction in Green House Gas emissions and 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020.
In addition, the 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. In order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, 12% renewables in the heating sector and 10% in transport. Policies and schemes are in place to incentivise the use of renewable energy. The REFIT schemes underpin the development of a range of renewable energy technologies. As regards energy efficiency, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is continuing to implement policy with the roll out of efficiency measures in homes and businesses throughout the country supported by substantial exchequer funding for energy efficiency.
The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and volatility, is essential to Irish consumers. While fossil fuels will remain part of the energy mix as we transit to a largely decarbonised energy system by 2050, significant progress is being made in increasing the share of renewables in that mix.
Provisional figures provided by the SEAI for 2014 show that 8.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirements were met by renewable energy. In addition, the SEAI has calculated that 22.7% of electricity, 6.6% of heat and 5.2% of transport demand was met from renewable sources.
