Ireland’s Energy Transition Could Be Worth Up to €19 Billion to the Irish Economy Per Year

Fulfilling Ireland’s energy transition could result in up to €19 billion of capital expenditure per year by 2030. The report, carried out by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and launched today at the SEAI Energy Show, identified the significant economic opportunity presented by the sustainable energy transition and outlined a number of key recommendations for how policymakers and industry can support Irish businesses to take advantage of this opportunity.

26 March 2025: More than 3,000 industry professionals are due to attend the 2025 SEAI Energy Show, which takes place over the 26th and 27th of March in the RDS, Dublin. First established in 1996, this year marks 30 years of the Energy Show, which brings together sustainable energy supply chain professionals with a focus on energy services, products and technologies for business, industry, and residential sectors.

The event will see the official launch of the new report, Ireland’s Sustainable Energy Technologies: Supply Chain Opportunities, which provides an analysis of the supply chain opportunities presented by Ireland’s sustainable energy transition. The report finds that the projected capital investment needed to enable this transition will provide significant scope for Irish suppliers to benefit from opportunities, particularly in the areas of construction, engineering, and financial services, and via service and equipment delivery by local enterprises.

The report identifies the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in meeting our energy transition goals and sets out six key recommendations. These include:

—  Develop skills and certifications: Establish targeted training programs and accreditation frameworks to develop the necessary skills and certifications for installers and energy experts

—  Leverage R&D capabilities: Utilise Ireland’s strong R&D capabilities to advance emerging renewable technologies.

—  Promote sustainable practices: Encourage businesses to adopt sustainable practices such as green procurement and comply with EU directives and legislation for sustainable and responsible business.

—  Focus on high-value markets: Effectively harness the opportunities available by prioritising high-value markets such as energy-efficient construction, sustainable biomass heating, electric vehicles, and smart grids.

—  Capture the preliminary phase of the supply chain for key technologies: Focus on capturing the market for planning, permitting and design of technologies such as onshore wind farms, utility solar PV, microgeneration units, smart grids, sustainable biomass heating, industrial heat pumps and Anaerobic Digestion (AD). This includes feasibility studies, project planning, financial, legal, environmental, commercial and technical services and advisory roles.

—  Installation and commissioning markets: Focus on capturing the market for the installation and commissioning of technologies such as district heating systems, EV charging infrastructure and AD. This could create substantial opportunities for electrical, mechanical and civil engineers, engineering firms and qualified electricians.

These recommendations would create a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable supply chain ecosystem in Ireland, enabling Irish businesses to fulfil the opportunity presented by Ireland’s energy transition.

Launching the report, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O’Brien said:

“The Programme for Government is committed to Ireland’s climate targets and to the energy transition which will lead to a more secure, sustainable and affordable energy future for our citizens and businesses.

“What this report highlights is that this energy transition will deliver for both our planet, and our economy, creating significant opportunities for Irish businesses in the supply chain where Ireland is well positioned to capitalise. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues across government and industry partners to deliver on this opportunity and continue to position Ireland as a leader in the energy transition.”

Speaking about the report findings, William Walsh, CEO of SEAI, said:

“Ireland can reap the economic benefits of a fossil fuel free economy and society. This report identifies the growth potential of 13 key technologies for the sustainable energy transition, and the supply chain areas where Irish businesses have potential opportunities to benefit from this growth. What it shows, is that there are potential opportunities for many of the businesses, like those exhibiting at The SEAI Energy Show, and hundreds more besides, to benefit from Ireland’s energy transition.

“At SEAI, we are committed to supporting businesses across the Irish energy supply chain to deliver both a sustainable energy future and a healthy, future-proof economy for Ireland. Sustainable energy is good for business and good for climate.” William Walsh concluded.

The Energy Show marks an important opportunity for Ireland’s leading energy technology and service providers to come together and share the latest innovations and products in their respective fields. Vendors include those from across all levels of the supply chain, from heat pump and EV technology to solar panels and energy efficiency controls.