The Demand for Renewable Energy, Residential Retrofit and Electric Vehicle Deployment Skills to 2030

This report was developed in the context of the need to urgently accelerate the transition to a Zero Carbon Economy, as reflected in the binding targets for emissions reduction over the next decade, and ultimately, carbon neutrality by 2050. In Ireland this will be driven by the Government’s Climate Action Plan and the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, which seeks to achieve steep reductions in Ireland’s carbon emissions by 2030.

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs report outlines recommendations for consideration with regard to the overall delivery of the Climate Action Plan in that 10-year timeframe, in areas it identifies as representing “Zero Carbon” activities: 5GW of offshore and up to 8GW of onshore wind energy generation, 1.5-2.5GW of solar energy generation, the energy efficient retrofit of 500,000 homes to a minimum B2 BER, the installation of 600,000 heat pumps, and the target of having 840,000 electric cars, and 95,000 commercial vehicles, on Irish roads.

The report advises on the nature and quantity of the skills required by these Zero Carbon sectors over the next decade, and will help inform the broader response put in place in order to deliver on the targets set for renewable energy generation, built environment energy efficiency and sustainable transport.

Read the full report here- Skills-for-Zero-Carbon.pdf.pdf (size 3.1 MB)