59% of Carlow households reliant on high carbon fuels for home heating - new report

Liquid Gas Ireland (LGI) published a new report today, 9th January 2024, examining national trends in home heating energy sources based on CSO Census data from 2011 – 2022.

According to the report, Ireland’s move away from high carbon fuels is lagging significantly with the number of homes using oil for home heating increasing, combined with continued reliance on solid fuels.

59% of Carlow households are currently reliant on high carbon fuels including oil, peat, and coal for home heating with 46% of all households nationally reliant on the same.

'The total number of households in Carlow using oil for home heating has increased since 2016 by 529 to 11,650 (53%).'

'Consequently, there are now more houses in Carlow which rely on oil for central heating than there were in 2011.'

'5% of Carlow households continue to use coal, while 1% rely on peat.'

'188,981 households nationally are occupied by a person aged 65 years and older living alone. Of this group, 86,057 (46%) rely on oil for central heating, 9,818 (5%) use peat, and 9,587 (5%) rely on coal.'

'Only 39% of Ireland’s housing stock – 827,634 homes – had a valid energy efficiency (BER) rating at the end of 2022 and less than 20% had ratings of B2 or above.'

'A large majority of the households still using high carbon fuels are located outside major urban centres, in areas off the natural gas grid and in older building stock. In many circumstances, switching to an electric heat pump system is not logistically viable or is prohibitively expensive, leaving homeowners with limited alternative options to decarbonise.'

Commenting on the report findings, LGI Policy Director Philip Hannon, said 'It’s clear that a wider suite of options is urgently required to accelerate the decarbonisation of homes by 2030.'

'Both lower carbon LPG, renewable BioLPG and, in time, rDME, can and are playing a key role in helping rural Irish homes meet their energy needs while simultaneously lowering carbon emissions. By adopting a mixed technology approach that embraces lower carbon and renewable fuels, the Government can expand more accessible alternatives to the 46% of homes currently using high carbon fuels. This would deliver cleaner air and lower emissions in rural areas in line with our 2050 net zero targets.'

'Rural communities should be offered the technology choices that meet their unique needs through secure, clean, and efficient lower-carbon fuels. LGI strongly argues that a ‘mixed technology’ approach that supports the use of lower carbon liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and renewable liquid gas (BioLPG / rDME) through the installation of renewable ready gas boilers, as well as heat pump technology, would help achieve this.'

Mr Hannon continued, 'The average age of Ireland’s housing stock presents another ongoing challenge to achieving the Government’s retrofitting targets, with 65% of all houses built before 2001.'

'This equates to just over 1.2 million homes, which are typically less energy efficient and more costly to heat. For a heat pump system to work efficiently in these older properties, there is a high probability that a deep retrofit of the building will be required which can be prohibitively expensive, leaving homeowners with limited alternative options to decarbonise.'

'As clean burning fuels with low levels of air and particulate pollutant emissions, lower carbon LPG and renewable BioLPG offer alternative heating options for households that want to switch from high carbon solid fuels. To reach ambitious climate action targets, the Government must acknowledge the role of liquid gas in providing accessible lower carbon heating for Irish homes.'