Overcoming Barriers to the Clean Energy Transition in Northern Ireland: Re-thinking Policy, Planning, and Participation

Description

Event information: The energy sector in NI is a significant contributor of greenhouse gas emissions accounting for 47% of total emissions, where electricity generates 14% of emissions, domestic transport contributes 18%, and buildings and product-uses account for 15%. In Belfast, buildings account
for 50% of emissions and transport is responsible for 20% of the city’s total emissions. To address these energy-related emissions, the Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland: The Path to Net Zero Energy was introduced in 2021. It outlines 3 key interim targets for 2030 on NI’s pathway to net zero carbon by 2050. The 5-year Climate Action Plans provide the roadmap to achieving
these targets. Yet, as we approach 2030 – a milestone year for achieving the energy decarbonisation targets – NI is significantly off-track in meeting its clean energy targets.

As the recent progress report by the NI Comptroller and Auditor General on NI’s Energy Strategy reveals, despite a budgetary spending of £107 million on energy-related activities since 2020, NI has only made 1% progress on the first target which aims for energy savings of 25% from buildings and industry by 2030. On the second target which aims for 80% electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, NI is approx. 35% short. And finally, compared to the third
target’s aim of growing the size of NI’s low carbon and renewable energy economy to over £2 billion by 2030, it currently stands at £1.58 billion. Given these findings, the report concludes, the expenditure of £107 million cannot be considered “an efficient use of resources and represent good value for money”.

In fact, NI’s progress towards decarbonising energy has not only stalled, but reversed. According to the most recent data from NISRA on Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation in NI, 2025 was the third consecutive year that electricity generated from renewable sources recorded a downward trend. From a peak of 51% renewable generation in 2022, last year recorded 44.2% electricity generation from renewable sources which marks a decline of 0.3% compared to the same period in 2024. Delayed and weak policy implementation, a lack of oversight in monitoring and evaluation of progress towards emissions targets and an insufficient pace of expansion of critical grid infrastructure are undermining NI’s ability to meet its clean energy targets.

It is in this context that the current panel discussion holds a particular urgency and relevance as NI faces the very real prospect of missing its energy transition targets not only for 2030 but also for 2050. It is clear from the data that Northern Ireland will need to make significant and rapid changes going forward if we are to meet our clean energy targets by 2030. This multistakeholder
panel discussion invites experts in energy transition from the public sector, industry, and academia to share their insights on and think-through the barriers to energy policy implementation in Northern Ireland, with a special focus on Belfast city.
The event will consist of two panel sessions of 1 hour each including time for audience Q&A at the end of each session.

Period	25 Mar 2026
Event type	Seminar
Location	BelfastShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National