IRELAND WILL fall short of its EU renewable energy targets up to 2030, Government ministers were told today. 

The country’s baseline renewable target of 16% was met in 2024, but the interim targets for 2025 (27.6%) and 2027 (33.6%) are projected to be missed. 

The targets are based on the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption in the electricity, heat and transport sectors.

 The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment is exploring options available in light of the shortfall. 

Participating in the EU Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism is one of the options being considered, with a window for non-binding expressions of interest soon to open.

The mechanism would involve Ireland contributing financially to renewable energy projects in other EU member states and receiving a statistical allocation of the renewable energy produced to contribute to closing Ireland’s projected gaps to target.

The Government has said further analysis will be undertaken to assess the “potential added value and cost-effectiveness” of participation.

However, it said that priority should be given to supporting domestic renewable generation.

Ireland’s target for the end of this decade is 34.1%, and it is likely that this target will be increased in the coming years.