Energy security does not mean more infrastructure. It is about affordability & meeting needs within the carbon budgets agreed by the Dail. More gas infrastructure - whether pipelines, terminals or boilers is not the answer. Gas is an energy security & climate risk.

Energy efficiency is the first fuel, always. Decarbonisation of the energy system is necessary and demanded by the 2021 climate act, which according to the Climate Change Advisory Council will require reductions of c.50% in fossil fuels to meet primary energy demand by 2030.

And we need to accelerate the transition to clean, renewable energy which is the fastest and cheapest no-regret option to reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. See @WindEnergyIRL report by @Baringa last week about barriers to renewables.

LNG is not the answer: it increases our reliance on gas & only adds to carbon lock-in & potential for stranded assets. We will need gas as a back up to renewables, but according to the @GasNetIrl there is enough capacity via Moffat interconnectors which in fact are owned by GNI.

What do we need to do? 1. emergency resilience plan 2. engage the public 3. ban further data centre connections 4. tax windfall profits of energy companies. 5. put measures in place to target interventions at fuel poor. 6. scale up national retrofit plan esp. for rental sector.

References to follow

@Tapeterman

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire Micro not much different to Macro.Someone with homePV will use for home.charge for EV & battery to avoid grid. National grid similar. Battery for short periods but more gas infra needed to support more renewables.Less gas overall but extra Infra kicks in for few days when no wind

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire Or using the infrastructure we do have effectively and equitably?

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire Building the LNG terminal gives energy security during transition Eventually we'll have gigawatts of offshore wind generation capacity, where hydrogen production can be utilized for storing excess energy production LNG terminal can be repurposed for exporting hydrogen

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire Yes! To stop #climatechange … 1—Maximum #energyefficiency , all sectors, saving ~1/2 of current energy. 2— #Electrify remaining energy need with #zerocarbon sources. 3—End #fossilfuels rapidly, with no new projects. 4—Protect all intact #forests & #ecosystems , fix #ag & eat plants.

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire It would be great if all the alternatives were in place. But they are not and seem to be far off. In the interim, until they are available, we have to use existing sources. Sitting at home freezing next or subsequent winter is not an option.

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire Because intermittent dirty renewables are so atrociously bad at providing consistent energy, they have to be backed up watt for watt with filthy fossil fuels, end of story. The only consistent secure energy is Nuclear.

@SadhbhO @rtenews @SamanthaLibreri @TodaywithClaire Ok - can you explain how we will deliver electricity this winter if we have no gas imports