10 Green Wins Led by Minister Ryan
Retrofitting Is Booming:
The number of houses being retrofitted has quadrupled. In 2023, over 47,000 homes became warmer and cheaper to run. From early this year, people can avail of unique low-cost retrofitting loans, the first of their kind in Europe.
Renewables are only going one way:
Renewables are up 5% and rising. Three years ago, hardly any houses had solar panels on the roof. Following the cut to zero vat the number is approaching 100,000 and rising by 700 every week. Rooftop solar produced 400MW in 2023 – up from 20MW. Our coal use is down 50% and oil use is down 80%.
Rural Buses Rolling Out:
Since 2022, over 105 new or enhanced rural bus services have been rolled out – that’s one a week at least. Passenger numbers are up 112%.
On Track:
Over 308 million passenger journeys were made in 2023 across buses and trains. Local link services saw a massive 78% increase between 2022 and 2023. In total, 102 new or enhanced rural buses were rolled out in 2022 and 2023 – that’s one a week.
Last year, we published the first All-Island Strategic Rail Review, putting communities throughout the country on track for a new age of rail.
1 Million Every Day:
Over a million euro a day is being spent to make it safer to walk and cycle.
Cash for Returns:
Under my department, a new deposit refund scheme will start from February 2024 so we properly recycle cans and plastic bottles and get paid for them. A double win.
EV numbers:
Four years ago, only one in 20 cars here came with a plug attached. Today it is one in four. We now have over 109,000 EVs on Irish roads and we’re on track to meet the 2025 target of 195,000 EVs.
Digital transformation:
Next year over 300,000 rural homes will be reached with the National Broadband Plan, and by 2027 digital fibre will be available to almost every house in the country, driven by my green colleague Ossian Smith TD .
Wind Power:
We completed the first offshore wind auction in 2023, which will see four projects produce enough clean, indigenous electricity to power more than 2.5 million homes. With more auctions planned for this year.
Emissions are falling:
Emissions fell by nearly 2% in 2022 and are looking on course to fall by 4-5% in 2023. This is being led by reductions in our electricity emissions which fell by 15% in 2022 and could fall by more in 2023.