Irish renewables are responsible for a record low in the carbon content of electricity generation, new data reveals.

According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), renewable electricity helped Ireland avoid 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2014.

The figures, released today, show that the carbon intensity of electricity generation fell to a record low of 457 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour of electrical output, half the level in 1990.

Without renewables, the SEAI’s projects shows that power generation emissions would have been 23% higher.

SEAI chief executive Brian Motherway said the data was “extremely positive” for the country :

“This comes ahead of an international climate change agreement at COP21 that will put the world on track to a low-emission, climate resilient and sustainable future.”

Then he added :

“We can see how Ireland is moving to a low-carbon economy with clean and renewable energy increasingly used to provide electricity in our homes and businesses.”

On the back of the data, the SEAI says that renewables are now one of the single biggest contributors to carbon dioxide emission reductions in Ireland.

Renewable electricity generation – led by onshore wind but including hydro, landfill gas, biomass and biogas – accounted for 22.7% of gross electricity consumption during the year.

The SEAI has also revealed that the growth in renewables resulted in a €250 million saving on fossil fuel imports in 2014.