A Report Discussing the Possible Interruptions in Ireland's Future Energy Supply

A report discussing the possible interruptions in Ireland's future energy supply.

As with trying to plan against any future problems I feel it is necessary to look at previous energy import interruptions both in Ireland and in other countries. Some key sustainability issues in Irish energy are that total primary energy requirement increased by 24% between 1980 and 1993. Ireland's dependence on imported fuels is estimated at 93% in 2010 (Sustainable Development a strategy for Ireland). This will give us an understanding of how best to insulate the Irish markets to events that may have happened before and also give a glimpse of how such interruptions can affect our economy.

On the 22nd of February in 1947 The Irish Times reported a major fuel crisis during one of the coldest winters of that generation. The post war fuel crisis was not only in Ireland but all over the world. Just as in 2010 the unprecedented bad weather consisting of snow for over a month threatened to bring Ireland to a standstill due to the shortages in road grit, in 1947 the problem was so severe that CIE had ‘only one week's coal supply, and the closing down after next week of the entire railway system is expected unless coal supplies are replenished'. Here we see how a war that Ireland had no direct involvement with had almost brought a nation to its knees. War is a major contributor and result of energy crises, while the majority of countries have not been affected in terms of energy import by war in the last few decades we have seen the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan been labelled as ‘oil securing operations' by the US. Looking towards the future, similar incidences seem likely also. For instance take the debate among the US and Russia over who will have ownership of the oil reserves uncovered by the melting of the polar ice cap. Should this and other future arguments lead war it could be devastating