Turf still used for heating by 14 percent of Mayo households

Eighty-one percent of households in Mayo are still reliant on high carbon fuels for home heating, according to a new report by Liquid Gas Ireland (LGI) published today. The report is based on CSO Census data from 2011 – 2022 which shows that the number of homes using oil for home heating are increasing, combined with continued reliance on solid fuels.  

In total 46 percent of all households nationally rely on either oil, peat, or coal. The total number of households in Mayo using oil for home heating has increased since 2016 by 2,351 to 31,601 (61 percent). Consequently, there are now more houses in Mayo which rely on oil for central heating than there were in 2011. Fourteen percent of Mayo households continue to use peat, while 6 percent rely on coal. LGI argues these trends put key objectives of the National Residential Retrofit and Climate Action Plans at serious risk.

A large majority of the households still using high carbon fuels are located outside major urban centres, in areas off the natural gas grid and in older building stock. In many circumstances, switching to an electric heat pump system is not logistically viable or is prohibitively expensive, leaving homeowners with limited alternative options to decarbonise.

The average age of Ireland’s housing stock presents another challenge to achieving the Government’s retrofitting targets, with 65 percent of all houses built before 2001. This equates to just over 1.2 million homes, which are typically less energy efficient and more costly to heat.

Commenting on the report findings, LGI Policy Director Philip Hannon, said: “It’s clear that a wider suite of options is urgently required to accelerate the decarbonisation of homes by 2030. By adopting a mixed technology approach that embraces lower carbon and renewable fuels, the Government can expand more accessible alternatives to the 46 percent of homes currently using high carbon fuels. This would deliver cleaner air and lower emissions in rural areas in line with our 2050 net zero targets."

Mr Hannon explained: “Rural communities should be offered the technology choices that meet their unique needs through secure, clean, and efficient lower-carbon fuels. LGI strongly argues that a ‘mixed technology’ approach that supports the use of lower carbon liquid petroleum gas and renewable liquid gas through the installation of renewable ready gas boilers, as well as heat pump technology, would help achieve this.”