ESB electricity demand: grid faces surge, chief says

Ireland's electricity use expected to rise

Speaking to RTÉ News at COP31 in Turkey, Hayes said the country would need to prepare for a significant increase in electricity use as homes, businesses and industries reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

He said the move towards electrification was central to cutting emissions, as cleaner electricity would allow other parts of the economy to replace oil and gas with lower-carbon energy sources.

“Electrification is absolutely massive,” Hayes said.

Countries consider major target to boost electricity use by 2035

The scale of the change is also reflected in discussions at COP31, where governments are considering a target to raise electricity's share of global energy use from around 23% to 35% by 2035. 

The proposal is intended to speed up the shift away from fossil fuels.

However, Hayes warned that supplying enough electricity would be a major challenge as demand increases.

“It'll be challenging because it means that the demand will go up,” he said.

Expanding the network will be important, but Hayes said consumers would also need to make better use of the electricity already available. 

He highlighted smart meters, solar panels and electric vehicle charging as ways to help balance demand throughout the day.

“Flexibility is going to be a key part of this as well,” he added.

More homes and businesses generating their own power, ESB chief says

Some of these changes are already taking place in Ireland.

Hayes said more electric vehicle owners were choosing to charge their cars at quieter times, while smart tariffs offered by suppliers were giving customers more opportunities to save by shifting their electricity use.

The growing number of households and businesses producing their own electricity through microgeneration is also changing how the network operates.

Hayes said reducing consumption would remain important alongside the move towards cleaner energy.