Expanded Emissions and Energy Targeting: A Further Application of CO2 Emissions Pinch Analysis (CEPA) to the Irish Electricity Generation Sector

This paper presents the methodologies and data sources that are used for a renewable energy source-electricity/renewables' minimisation study in the Irish electricity generation sector over the period 2008-2020. As of the first quarter of 2009, the energy and emissions data for the years upto and including 2007 have been reported by Ireland's relevant bodies. Hence, the projected energy and emissions data for 2008 onwards is of interest in this paper. The main reason for this minimisation of renewables is the sector's vulnerability to their disadvantages in the coming years, especially the intermittency and variability of the ever-dominating wind generated electricity. The CO2 Emissions Pinch Analysis (CEPA) methodology is able to determine the optimal/absolute minimum amount of renewables that should be used in an energy resource mix. This mix has its total emissions satisfying a given Kyoto limit. A fifth adaptation to the basic CEPA methodology is presented here and it is called the TGEC adaptation. It allows for the very useful comparison of the projected optimal amounts of renewables to the incrementally determined targets on the amounts of renewables that Ireland is legally obliged to achieve in each of the coining years (starting at 2008). These future interpolated targets are determined from the government and European Union end-of-period targets that are laid out in the associated policy documents.