2024 saw a worrying new climate threshold reached: it was the first calendar year where the global average temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels. Yet it was also a year when positive progress was made towards climate goals here in Ireland. Despite growth in demand, carbon emissions from electricity in 2024 fell to their lowest levels since records began.
At ESB, the carbon intensity of our power generation has continued to drop as our renewables and storage portfolio has grown. ESB Networks has steadily increased connection of renewables, while our customer-facing businesses are empowering individuals and organisations to become more sustainable and reduce their own emissions.
This progress is documented in our 2024 Sustainability Data Disclosures Report. As Niall Hogan, ESB Sustainability Strategy & Programme Manager, explains: “Our 2024 Sustainability Data Disclosures Report tracks progress across the pillars of ESB’s Sustainability Leadership Plan – Planet, Place, and People. By reporting transparently, we highlight the opportunities and challenges on our journey to a cleaner energy future.”
Planet – working towards a carbon-free energy future
Committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2040, we are implementing wide-ranging, transformational changes across the Group to align with national climate action plans and respond to the complex, interconnected challenges of sustainability.
Our 2024 data demonstrates progress in a number of areas, including:
- We continued to move closer to our 2030 target for low-carbon generation of 140g CO2/KWh: in 2024 this was 362g CO2/KWh, compared to 454g CO2/KWh in 2018.
- Major strides were made in expanding our renewables and storage portfolio in 2024, with our installed wind capacity increasing over 20% year-on-year from 761 to 927MW. Moreover, we more than doubled our battery storage capacity from 124 to 304MW.
- The amount of energy generated by coal dropped significantly in 2024 to1,867GWh, down from 3,659GWh in 2023. We no longer use coal as an energy source as Moneypoint generation station in Co Clare ceased coal generation in June of this year.
Place – protecting and restoring our environment
With the aim of becoming nature positive by 2030, we are dedicated to protecting and restoring ecosystems in the places we operate. We are also working to reduce – and ultimately eliminate – emissions to the environment, and are committed to responsible resource use across our operations.
Key takeaways from this area in the 2024 report include:
- Further progress was made on our biodiversity programme in 2024. A new role of Group Biodiversity Lead was created to drive action across the business; at business-unit level, ESB Networks published its first biodiversity strategy ‘Networks for Nature’ in 2024; and work is underway to scope and publish an overarching Group-level strategy.
- While there was a slight dip in overall energy efficiency year-on-year, we remain on track to achieve our target for 2030 of a 50% improvement over baseline, achieving just over 55% in 2024.
- The report also captures data on waste generated by our operations. As part of our sustainability leadership commitments, we are building lifecycle investment into the tendering process and seeking more circular solutions to reduce impacts on resource use and waste generation.
People – at the heart of our purpose
For our employees, our customers, and those working across our supply chain, we work to foster the social and environmental conditions that allow everyone to thrive.
Highlights from this pillar in 2024 include:
- Our Energy for Generations Fund disbursed just under €1 million in 2024 to charities around Ireland, with a strong focus on social inclusion through access to employment, access to education, and addressing homelessness.
- Looking at our supply chain, 87% of all spending in 2024 was with local suppliers in our home markets of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
- Headcount across the organisation grew by over 500 in 2024, now standing at over 9,700. The proportion of female employees was 27%, with a target of 30% by the end of 2025. As part of our commitment to broadening and deepening understanding of sustainability among our workforce, over 3,500 employees participated in Sustainability Essentials training in 2024.
Next steps in our reporting journey
The report continues our longstanding commitment to open and transparent communication of our sustainability performance. We have published an annual Sustainability Report since 2011 on a voluntary basis, and have been progressively developing our reporting framework, using the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) as a guiderail.
The EU’s ‘Omnibus’ legislative package earlier this year made changes to the implementation of CSRD reporting requirements, delaying key reporting deadlines by up to two years. We nevertheless remain committed to enhancing our sustainability capability and intend to comply with revised CSRD requirements on a voluntary and Group-wide basis. We will continue preparation to deliver a CSRD aligned report for 2025 and 2026, maturing to a CSRD-compliant report for 2027.
Download the full 2024 Sustainability Data Disclosures Report.
View our Sustainability Leadership Plan here.
Read insights from our Group Head of Sustainability Sharon McManus on how the reporting landscape is changing, and how ESB is responding.