Public sector energy performance is reported on and published in the Annual Report on Public Sector Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Performance. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) manage the reporting process on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The 2022 report is available at www.seai.ie/business-and-public-sector/public-sector/monitoring-and-reporting/public-sector-results/.
As set out in that Report, the energy consumption associated with business travel is not within the scope of the 2030 energy efficiency target or the 2030 emissions targets. However, public bodies are obliged to report annual data on business travel to SEAI for the years 2021 onwards. Business travel occurs when people travel from one place of work to another place of work as part of their work duties. In the context of Public Sector emissions, Climate Action Plan 2023 included Action PS/23/3, led by the SEAI, to develop a standardised approach for scope 3 measurement and reporting leading to an agreed approach for monitoring GHG emissions and wider climate action.
Arrangements applying to motor mileage rates for civil servants are a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Circular 16/2022: Revised Motor Travel Rates sets out the revised motor travel rates effective 01 September 2022 and takes account of Action 59 of the Climate Action Plan 2021 (CAP 21) to “Devise and agree revised mileage rates structure that reflects changing driving patterns including increased used of EVs and hybrids” . Under the revised Circular a dedicated rate is introduced for Electric Vehicles (EVs).
With a target of 4.74MT CO2 abatement by 2030, fleet electrification in transport is the single biggest policy lever within the Climate Action Plan. The vast majority of this abatement (4.19MT) comes from private and commercial vehicles. The programme of work to deliver this fleet electrification and abatement is managed and co-ordinated by Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI), an Office within the Department of Transport. Much of the investment in the switch to electric transport will come from the private sector. However given the very high ambition of national targets, Government intervention and supports will be essential to deliver the 2030 target of 4.19MT reduction in CO2 – this reduction in emissions will happen naturally in a business as usual model, but not until at least 2035 without additional Government action.
The private transport electrification programme (decarbonisation) has a budget allocation under the NDP of just under €1bn to 2030.
Current financial supports from ZEVI, and where applicable with support from the Department of Finance, for the transition to electric vehicles and for the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure include:
• A purchase grant for battery electric vehicles of up to €3,500 (BEVs);
• A Home Charger purchase grant scheme - up to €600;
• VRT relief of up to €5,000 for the purchase of BEVs;
• Benefit-in-Kind tax relief for battery electric vehicles;
• eSPSV grant scheme – a grant for taxi drivers to make the switch to an EV;
• AFHDV grant scheme – a grant for HDVs to bridge the gap between a zero emission vehicle and a fossil fuel vehicle;
• Low rate of annual motor tax; and
• Tolling reductions of 50% for battery electric vehicles and 25% for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
The table below shows the number of EV sales (in absolute terms, and as a proportion of overall car sales) since 2019. As part of stakeholder engagement, a targeted campaign to support uptake and achievement of electric vehicles targets is being progressed for wider release in Q4 this year.
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-
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2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023 (May)
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Total EV
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4,788
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6,505
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16,537
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23,356
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19,603
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% of Total Market
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4.1%
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7.4%
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15.8%
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22.2%
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25.8%
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Looking beyond measures to incentivise the transition to electric vehicles, the Public Sector Climate Action Strategy 2023 – 2025 (available at www.gov.ie/pdf/ file=assets.gov.ie/255652/721b0c02-ab0d-4c6d-8bfc-14f9cc5085c4.pdf#page=null ) requires public sector bodies to actively encourage the use of sustainable transport modes for essential business-related trips, and to seek to acquire the National Transport Authority’s Smarter Travel Mark, which requires organisations to demonstrate robust communications, policies, facilities, incentives and supports in favour of sustainable business travel.
