Public Sector avoided an estimated €2.5 billion in energy spend since 2009

• Public bodies and Government Departments are 32.5% more energy efficient than in 2009

Public bodies have avoided an estimated €2.5 billion in energy spend since 2009, the Annual Report on Public Sector Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Performance for the year 2022 shows. The 345 public bodies and 3,015 schools that reported collectively improved their energy efficiency since the 2009 baseline by 32.5%, which is an increase of 1% on the previous year.

The report published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) also sets out that non-electricity greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 were 3.9% below the baseline (2016-2018 average), while total greenhouse gas emissions in 2022 were 17.3% below the same baseline.

While these figures show that the public sector is moving in the right direction, there is a need for a significant acceleration to get onto the trajectory required to meet 2030 national and EU targets for energy efficiency and decarbonisation of the public sector.

New EU directives place additional requirements on public bodies for 2030, given the public sector role in leading by example. The new Energy Efficiency Directive 2023/1791 sets out that the public sector must achieve an absolute energy consumption reduction each year of 1.9% (baseline 2021) which amounts to an over 15% reduction in consumption in the period to 2030 and will be challenging to achieve as public services grow in line with population increases. Significant population growth and public sector expansion over the last decade mean that, in absolute terms, energy consumption in the public sector has not reduced significantly over that timeframe.

The new annual absolute reduction target for the public sector will provide additional impetus for public bodies to accelerate energy reduction actions and to further decouple energy usage from activity. Case studies of public bodies that successfully implemented the "Reduce Your Use campaign for public bodies" in the last year can be found on SEAI's website and are a good example of practical measures public bodies can take immediately to reduce their energy consumption.

Announcing the publication of the report today, Minister of State for the Environment, Climate and Communications Ossian Smyth, said:

"Today's report on Public Sector Energy Use in 2022 demonstrates that Ireland's public sector has achieved a lot in terms of energy performance, but has further challenges ahead as it works to lead by example and deliver on climate action and energy targets in the short, medium and long-term. Energy consumption must be reduced by public bodies and the pace of retrofit and renovation must be increased. A concerted effort will be required by all public bodies to achieve new more challenging targets."

Declan Meally, Director Business, Public Sector and Transport at SEAI said:

"Building momentum on the significant savings already made will be key if the public sector is to reach their 2030 climate targets and ultimately set a pathway towards net zero in 2050. SEAI is partnering with all organisations and departments across the public sector to help them realise their climate ambitions. The Pathfinder Programme is a key initiative which has played a huge role in demonstrating how the public sector can achieve this significant saving. Since it was launched in 2017, the Pathfinder Programme has supported over €200 million in public sector projects. SEAI will continue to work with the government to close the current gaps and accelerate delivery to achieve the targets. There are now more advanced supports available to public bodies through SEAIs Public Sector Partnership Programme which helps large organisations save money, improve the environment, and meet national energy saving obligations."

A copy of the Annual Report 2023 on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance in 2022 is available on the SEAI website.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is Ireland's national energy authority investing in, and delivering, appropriate, effective, and sustainable solutions to help Ireland's transition to a clean energy future. SEAI work with Government, homeowners, businesses, and communities to achieve this, through expertise, funding, educational programmes, policy advice, research, and the development of new technologies. SEAI is funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of and Environment, Climate and Communications.

Annual Report 2023 on Public Sector Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Performance

This is the tenth annual report on the energy efficiency performance of public bodies in Ireland. The report is set in the context of Ireland's EU and national commitments and wider climate change goals. The Minister requires public bodies to report annual energy data to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). SEAI's Monitoring and Reporting (M&R) system provides an important record of how the public sector performed in 2022. Approximately 99% of all public bodies are now using the M&R system as are most schools.

Public Sector Energy Efficiency

The public sector improved its energy efficiency by 1% in 2022, bringing the total improvement to 32.5% since 2009. This indicator accounts for changes in the sector's activity level, so that increases in activity that have an impact on energy consumption are taken into account in determining energy performance.

In absolute terms, energy consumption in 2022 in the public sector was just 0.2% below that in 2013. Consumption did decrease by 1% in 2022, but this followed a 3% increase in 2021, which was at least partially attributable to a rebound in consumption following the lifting of some COVID-19 restrictions.

The public sector has a target to reduce its greenhouse emissions by 51% by 2030, compared to a 2016-2018 baseline. To reach these targets, public bodies, especially national estate portfolio leads (i.e. those public authorities with large property portfolios, namely Department of Education, HSE, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, OPW and Local authorities), will need to accelerate actions to reduce fossil fuel consumption starting from now.

Public bodies need to use progressively less energy to provide their services. This represents an opportunity for public bodies to take an energy efficiency design approach, to review the public service need, and to invest in ways to use less energy and cleaner energy to deliver the service.

2030 is a milestone on the way to 2050, by which time the EU aims to be climate neutral. Long term planning and delivery is required to achieve our climate and energy objectives.

A selection of the projects reported to SEAI in 2022

Atlantic Seaboard North - Regional Energy Bureau

Five local authorities located in the Atlantic Seaboard North Region identified a lack of resources as a barrier to achieving the targets. Specialist dedicated expertise, structured energy management and an ongoing investment strategy were identified as key requirements. SEAI's Pathfinder Programme provided 50% funding towards setting up a regional Energy Bureau with Mayo County Council acting as the lead local authority. A Regional Manager and five Energy Officers (one per local authority) were appointed to work with each local authority Energy Team. Initial focus was on analysing energy consumption and emissions in each local authority, completing Gap to Target analysis and development of a Register of Opportunities and project pipeline for each local authority. As a result, 15 local authority building retrofits are planned for 2024 with a budget estimate of €6.7 million and calculated carbon savings of 844 tCO2 (total carbon dioxide content) per year. The Bureau will evolve into a project implementation unit delivering these and other significant decarbonisation projects.

OPW managed lighting upgrade at Collins Barracks

Collins Barracks is a former military barracks, originally built in 1702 and now home to the National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts and History exhibitions. An extensive lighting upgrade was completed in March 2022 when over 800 fittings were replaced with high efficiency LED fittings across the museum. Due to the nature of the exhibitions, the Office of Public Works (OPW) and contractors liaised closely with the museum curators to design, specify and install optimal lighting levels and controls, both for aesthetics and for the preservation of the artefacts. As well as enhanced service, the project achieved saving of approximately 225,000 kWh (kilowatt hours) per year.

UCD Belfield District Heating System Heat Pump Retrofit

The UCD Belfield District Heating System supplies 11 buildings on campus. The system had been upgraded over time from turf to oil, to gas-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP). The campus Energy Centre also incorporates a 900kW biomass boiler, and two condensing gas-fired boilers. UCD's decarbonisation strategy includes reducing thermal demand through the retrofit of buildings coupled with a phased decarbonisation of thermal energy away from fossil fuel. This Pathfinder project involved the integration of a 1 MW, two-stage hydrocarbon air source heat pump into the Energy Centre. The heat pump now runs as lead plant, followed by the biomass boiler and CHP, with the gas boilers supporting peak heat demand only. It is expected that this project will deliver over 5,530,000 kWh per annum energy savings, avoiding approximately 800 tCO2 per year.