Services sector energy consumption up 88% since 1990
The total energy consumption of the services sector in 2003 was 88% above its 1990 level, according to new figures from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).
The hike in consumption represents an average annual increase of 5% over the 13-year period.
"This is in stark contrast to the superior energy performance of the Irish economy as a whole where energy consumption has significantly decoupled from economic activity over the same period of time – with GDP growing by 130% for an energy growth of only 57%," SEI said in its report.
The year 1990 is significant as a baseline year because the Kyoto Protocol and associated EU targets are based on emissions from that year.
According to the SEI report - Profiling Energy and CO2 Emissions in the Services Sector - the services sector was the fastest-growing sector for final energy consumption in 2003 (8.3%), growing by more than double that of the next fastest growing sector, residential (3.4%).
Figures from the Irish Hotels Federation show that the hotel industry in Ireland is spending in the region of €70m - €100m per year on energy.
According to the report, the growth in energy-related CO2 emissions in the services sector of 71% (4.2% per annum) over the period 1990 to 2003 is second only to the transport sector (127% or 6.5% per annum).
