43 per cent of Kildare households still reliant on high carbon fuels for home heating

43 per cent of Kildare households are still reliant on high carbon fuels for home heating.

That’s according to a new report published today by Liquid Gas Ireland (LGI), which examined national trends in home heating energy sources based on Central Statistics Office Census data from 2011 to 2022.

'The role of liquid gas in providing accessible lower carbon heating for Irish homes' has revealed how 43 per cent of all households in Kildare currently rely on high carbon fuels including oil, peat and coal.

Commenting on the report findings, LGI's 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 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), renewable BioLPG and, in time, dimethyl ether (also known as rDME, which is produced from renewable and recycled carbon feedstock), can and are playing a key role in helping rural Irish homes meet their energy needs while simultaneously lowering carbon emissions."

Mr Hannon continued: "By adopting a mixed technology approach that embraces lower carbon and renewable fuels, the Government can expand more accessible alternatives to the 46 per cent 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, which supports the use of lower carbon LPG and renewable liquid gas (BioLPG and / or rDME) through the installation of renewable ready gas boilers, as well as heat pump technology, would help achieve this."

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MONEY CONCERNS

Mr Hannon also discussed the cost barrier facing many househoulds considering on decarbonising their current home heating systems.

He said: "Older homeowners represent a large cross-section of society; a large majority of Ireland’s lowest BER rated homes are occupied by older people, many of whom are on low incomes, rely on a single income stream or have limited savings.

"This presents a significant cost barrier when considering decarbonising their heating systems through retrofitting and heat pump installation.

"Furthermore, many people are put off by the intrusive and time-consuming nature of a deep retrofit, with concerns that the process could prove to be very disruptive.

"For much of this group currently using high carbon fuels, the heat pump solution simply isn’t an affordable option... this is where embracing a mixed technology approach can provide a 'Just Transition' to decarbonisation for a wider representation of society."

Mr Hannon explained that, in his view, smaller, more targeted improvements may act as a more suitable and practical option which allows older members of society 'to engage in Ireland’s decarbonisation journey.'

"Lower carbon, cleaner LPG and renewable BioLPG have an important role to play here as part of a mix of lower carbon energy options," he added.

Mr Hannon further elaborated on the point of Ireland’s ageing population in the context of heating homes: "The average age of Ireland’s housing stock presents another ongoing challenge to achieving the government’s retrofitting targets, with 65 per cent 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."

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STATISTICS

Key findings from LGI’s analysis of the aforementioned Census data include: 

• 46 per cent of all households nationally rely on either oil, peat, or coal.
• The total number of households in Kildare using oil for home heating has increased slightly since 2016 by 318 to 30,564 (61 per cent). 
• 5 per cent of Kildare households continue to use peat, while one per cent rely on coal.
• 188,981 households nationally are occupied by a person aged 65 years and older living alone. Of this group, 86,057 (46 per cent) rely on oil for central heating, 9,818 (5 per cent) use peat, and 9,587 (5 per cent) rely on coal.
• Only 39 per cent of Ireland’s housing stock — 827,634 homes — had a valid energy efficiency (BER) rating at the end of 2022 and less than 20 per cent had ratings of B2 or above.
• The average age of Ireland’s housing stock presents another challenge to achieving the government’s retrofitting targets, with 65 per cent 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. 

The report also notes that 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 instances, switching to an electric heat pump system is not logistically viable or is prohibitively expensive for these households, thus leaving the homeowners with limited alternative options to decarbonise. 

Further information on the LGI can be found at www.lgi.ie.