Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2021: Part 3 Travel, Agriculture, Environment and COVID-19

The BER rating scale is divided into categories from G (largest primary energy usage) to an A1 rating (lowest primary
energy usage).

Figure 30.1 shows dwellings built in 2015-2021 were considerably more energy efficient than those built in earlier
periods, with 97% given an "A" rating compared with 34% built in 2010-2014 and 1% of those built in 2005-2009.

The mix of energy products used by Irish enterprises in 2018 is given in Figure 30.2.

A kilotonne of oil equivalent (ktoe) is a common unit of measurement which enables quantities of different fuels to be compared and aggregated.

In terms of ktoe, natural gas accounted for 33% of the total ktoe with aviation fuels accounting for a further 31%. Electricity comprised another 13% and solid fuels an additional 8%.

In monetary terms, the proportion of total fuel purchase costs accounted for by each energy product was quite different than the ktoe distribution. Electricity accounted for 30% of total costs while natural gas comprised 21%.

The annual volume of autodiesel was around 3.2 billion litres in 2020, an increase of 24% on 2011 volumes. 

The annual total for unleaded petrol volumes for 2020 was 773 million litres a decrease of 58% on 2011 volumes, reflecting: the impact of COVID-19; a change in the fuel type composition of licensed vehicles, and the move towards hybrid and electric vehicles.

Annual clearances of marked gas oil were 1.2 billion litres in 2011. This amount decreased to 1.1 billion litres in 2020. Clearances of kerosene were 1.1 billion litres in 2011. This amount increased to 1.3 billion litres in 2020.

Figure 30.3 shows the annual time series trend for the four fuels for 2011 to 2020.

Networked gas consumption data by sectors in Ireland is given in Table 30.1 and Figure 30.4.

Power plants accounted for 56% of total networked gas consumption in 2020, compared with 30% by the non-residential sector and 14% by the residential sector. This pattern was broadly similar in the period from 2011 to 2019. Total consumption in 2020 was 57,953 gigawatt hours, an increase of 0.4% over 2019 consumption, and the highest consumption over the 2011-2020 period.

The length of the phenological season for Downy Birch (Betula pubescens) at Valentia Observatory in Kerry during the period 1969-2020 varied from 168 days in 1979 to 236 days in 2014 (see Figure 30.5). The length of the phenological season is defined as the number of days between beginning of leaf unfolding in the Spring and leaf fall in the Autumn. The Met Éireann observers at Valentia Observatory have a full record for this plant species for the 51 year period.