January
2025
EU ETS 2 Obligations
The monitoring, reporting and verification obligations under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme is enacted and begins monitoring. Pursuant to the 2023 revisions of the EU ETS Directive, a new emissions trading system is created to trade ‘emission allowances’ issued by the EU ("ETS 2").
ETS 2 expands its remit to suppliers of fuel combustion activities (ie, petrol, natural gas etc). Regulated entities must register, monitor emissions and submit verified annual reports by 30 April each year, with allowance surrender starting in 2027 to drive emissions towards net zero.
New Peak Electricity Demand Record
A new all-time record for electricity peak demand is set.
A demand peak of 6,024 MW is recorded at 5.47pm on Wednesday 8 January owing to a significant cold spell, surpassing previous peaks set early in November 2024 and earlier in January 2025.
Coolglass High Court Judgment
The High Court hands down a significant judgment in the case of Coolglass Windfarm Limited -v- An Bord Pleanala in which it is ruled that An Bord Pleanála (the national planning board, now An Coimisiún Pleanála) incorrectly refused planning permission for a wind farm because it failed to adequately consider its obligations under the national and EU climate action law.
[Note: An Bord Pleanála appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which has since issued a judgment in February 2026 (largely upholding the High Court’s ruling).]
Programme for Government
Ireland’s new government publishes a Programme for Government which contains certain policy commitments in relation to energy. These include moving towards holding at least one Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction each year to ensure a dependable schedule for delivery of renewable energy projects and to provide certainty for investors and developers.
Greenlink Interconnector goes Live
The Greenlink Interconnector, a subsea electricity interconnector cable linking the electricity grids in Ireland and Great Britan, goes live.
The cable has a nominal capacity of 500MW and will provide significant additional interconnection between Ireland and Great Britain, with onward connections to continental Europe.
