While Liquid Gas Ireland (LGI) supports the goals of the Climate Action Plan, its focus is too narrow in terms of the technologies and potential solutions being considered in reaching its targets. In many circumstances, switching to a heat pump system is not logistically viable or is prohibitively expensive, leaving homeowners with limited alternative options to decarbonise their heating system.
Heat pump technology will play an important role in decarbonising Ireland’s housing stock, however, it’s clear that a wider suite of options is urgently required to accelerate the decarbonisation of homes by 2030. LGI strongly argues that a ‘mixed technology’ approach that supports the use of lower carbon LPG and renewable liquid gas (BioLPG / rDME) through the installation of renewable ready gas boilers, as well as heat pump technology, would help achieve this.
LGI member companies are playing a very significant role in helping to reduce the dependence on oil heating for major industrial and commercial facilities across Ireland. They continue to work with enterprise across a variety of sectors including hospitality, food processing, healthcare, sports and leisure, industry, and education on their journey to decarbonise their onsite heating systems. In the last decade, liquid gas has helped transition very significant oil dependent businesses to cleaner, lower carbon energy efficient solutions.
The next iteration of the Climate Action Plan must broaden its approach to decarbonising rural Ireland in particular. Heat pumps should not be the only option supported by Government. A fairer approach would be to recognise the role of renewable gases in both an on grid and off grid context.
The LGI consultation response can be found here
