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Peatlands have been artificially drained and degraded over 100s of years and have released huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as a result. In organic grassland soils, raising the water table to prevent such emissions is being proposed to meet national greenhouse gas emission targets for the land use sector. At present, all of these soils (335,000 ha) are assumed to be drained (as no information has been available on their drainage status) within national emission inventory reporting and are therefore responsible for significant emissions (8-9 million tonnes CO 2 -equivalent annually). The objective of the present study was to collate studies relating to the drainage status of peat soils in Ireland to present alternative scenarios with regard to actual drainage status of organic soils and their estimated emissions. From a drainage design perspective, evidence suggests that relatively small proportions of the grassland peat area was drained effectively using optimal in-field drain spacings required to control the water table at 0.4-0.5 m. Open drains excavated on such soils have limited capacity to laterally control the water table depth beyond short distances. Furthermore, the lack of long-term routine maintenance post installation ensures the redundancy of many drainage systems over time. New drainage installations are therefore likely replacing existing infrastructure and not necessarily increasing the drained area at any given time. This evidence supports literature from the 1980s which state that relatively low proportions of the grassland peat area has been subjected to effective drainage. Scenario testing results showed that likely emissions from the most probable scenario (with total area drained equating to 90,000-120,000 ha) are 3.6-4.7 million tonnes CO 2 -equivalent, approximately 40-53% of current national emission inventory estimates. The incorporation of such a refinement into the national inventory could offer a significant reduction in estimated GHG emissions from the grassland land use sector in national emission inventory reporting., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Despite the efforts to transition to a low carbon economy, greenhouse gas emissions are surging to critical levels. Carbon dioxide removals (CDR) methods, such as direct air capture (DAC), have been gaining substantial public attention in the last few years. DAC is essential in curbing CO2 concentrations and achieving climate targets. It is said that DAC can be deployed at anywhere, but a throughout life cycle assessment (LCA) is imperative to prove its viability. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the feasibility of constructing a 1 MT CO 2 plant in Ireland, using Kinsale and Corrib gas fields as storage points. The results showed that the country is an ideal candidate for scaling up this emerging industry. The efficiency is primarily influenced by the construction of the pipeline section, given a reliable sources of heat and electricity. The study highlights the significant impact of distances to the storage points on feasibility, favouring counties near of the gas fields. In conclusion, Ireland has the potential to establish its own DAC industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the economic growth and energy consumption patterns, most countries are striving to solve the problems of CO 2  emissions reduction to achieve sustainable development. This paper employs an improved DEA model to measure energy and environmental efficiency for some selected countries in central and western Europe. In addition, the DEA window evaluation technique is applied to measure cross-sectional efficiency using two inputs (energy consumption, labor force), a desirable output (gross domestic product), and an undesirable output (CO 2 emission) for the period from 2010 to 2014. The study finds that the UK ranks the highest position in term of energy and environmental efficiency. This shows that the UK has more effective policies regarding energy efficiency, consumption, production, import and energy intensity measures for sustainable economic growth as well as environmental protection. Ireland is the second-best country after the United Kingdom. The efficiency scores of the two countries are 0.99 and 0.89 respectively. On the empirical outcomes, this study suggests effective reforms in energy sector for countries with less energy efficiency that are still facing the problem of environmental degradation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The current conventional approach to determining the primary energy associated with non-combustible renewable energy (RE) sources such as wind energy and hydro power is to equate the electricity generated from these sources with the primary energy supply. This paper compares this with an approach that was formerly used by the IEA, in which the primary energy equivalent attributed to renewable energy was equated with the fossil fuel energy it displaces. Difficulties with implementing this approach in a meaningful way for international comparisons lead to most international organisations abandoning the primary energy equivalent methodology. It has recently re-emerged in prominence however, as efforts grow to develop baseline procedures for quantifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided by renewable energy within the context of the Kyoto Protocol credit trading mechanisms. This paper discusses the primary energy equivalent approach and in particular the distinctions between displacing fossil fuel energy in existing plant or in new plant. The approach is then extended provide insight into future primary energy displacement by renewable energy and to quantify the amount of CO 2 emissions avoided by renewable energy. The usefulness of this approach in quantifying the benefits of renewable energy is also discussed in an energy policy context, with regard to increasing security of energy supply as well as reducing energy-related GHG (and other) emissions. The approach is applied in a national context and Ireland is case study country selected for this research. The choice of Ireland is interesting in two respects. The first relates to the high proportion of electricity only fossil fuel plants in Ireland resulting in a significant variation between primary energy and primary energy equivalent. The second concerns Ireland's poor performance to date in limiting GHG emissions in line with its Kyoto target and points to the need for techniques to quantify the potential contribution of renewable energy in achieving the target set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the medium-term effects of a carbon tax on growth and CO2emissions in Ireland, a small open economy. We find that a double dividend exists if the carbon tax revenue is recycled through reduced income taxes. If the revenue is recycled by giving a lump-sum transfer to households, a double dividend is unlikely. We also determine that a greater incidence of the carbon tax falls on capital than on labour. When combined with a decrease in income tax, there is a clear shift of the tax burden from labour to capital. Finally, most of the effect on the economy is due to changes in the competitiveness of the manufacturing and market services sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to further probe the influence of the emission factors of renewable energy on both the energy resource mix and emissions mix of the Irish electricity generation sector. Furthermore, the effects of external short-term disturbances on the same mixes are studied in relation to the generation of CO2 emissions. This paper explores the recently developed CO2 emissions pinch analysis methodology, which can determine the sector’s optimal energy resource mix, and then further extends the basic methodology with two new adaptations (improvements). The adapted methodology is designed to give improved and more realistic energy and emissions targets for renewables. These adaptations are illustrated using the sector’s statistics for the years 2005 and 2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two wheat genotypes forming high and low biomass, exhibiting differential expression of an isoflavone reductase -like (IRL) gene, and resulting in contrasting grain yield under heat stress field conditions were analyzed in detail for their responses under controlled heat and elevated CO2 conditions. Significant differences in IRL expression between the two lines were hypothesized to be the basis of their differential performance under the tested conditions and their stress tolerance potential. By a holistic approach integrating advanced cell physiological phenotyping of the antioxidative and phytohormone system in spikes and leaves with measurements of ecophysiological and agronomic traits, the genetic differences of the genotypes in IRL expression were assessed. In response to heat and elevated CO2, the two genotypes showed opposite regulation of IRL expression, which was associated with cytokinin concentration, total flavonoid contents, activity of superoxide dismutase, antioxidant capacity and photosynthetic rate in leaves, and cytokinin concentration and ascorbate peroxidase activity in spikes. Our study showed that IRL expression is associated with wheat yield performance under heat stress at anthesis, mediated by diverse physiological mechanisms. Hence, based on our results, the IRL gene is a promising candidate for developing genetic markers for breeding heat-tolerant wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current conventional approach to determining the primary energy associated with non-combustible renewable energy (RE) sources such as wind energy and hydro power is to equate the electricity generated from these sources with the primary energy supply. This paper compares this with an approach that was formerly used by the IEA, in which the primary energy equivalent attributed to renewable energy was equated with the fossil fuel energy it displaces. Difficulties with implementing this approach in a meaningful way for international comparisons lead to most international organisations abandoning the primary energy equivalent methodology. It has recently re-emerged in prominence however, as efforts grow to develop baseline procedures for quantifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions avoided by renewable energy within the context of the Kyoto Protocol credit trading mechanisms. This paper discusses the primary energy equivalent approach and in particular the distinctions between displacing fossil fuel energy in existing plant or in new plant. The approach is then extended provide insight into future primary energy displacement by renewable energy and to quantify the amount of CO2 emissions avoided by renewable energy. The usefulness of this approach in quantifying the benefits of renewable energy is also discussed in an energy policy context, with regard to increasing security of energy supply as well as reducing energy-related GHG (and other) emissions. The approach is applied in a national context and Ireland is case study country selected for this research. The choice of Ireland is interesting in two respects. The first relates to the high proportion of electricity only fossil fuel plants in Ireland resulting in a significant variation between primary energy and primary energy equivalent. The second concerns Ireland's poor performance to date in limiting GHG emissions in line with its Kyoto target and points to the need for techniques to quantify the potential contribution of renewable energy in achieving the target set.

Abstract: This paper assesses the impacts of a targeted policy designed to influence car purchasing trends towards lower CO2 emitting vehicles. Vehicle registration tax and annual motor tax rates in Ireland changed in July 2008 from being based on engine size to emissions performance of cars. This paper provides a one year ex-post analysis of the first year of the tax change, tracking the change in purchasing trends arising from the measure related to specific CO2 emissions, engine size and fuel, and the implications for car prices, CO2 emissions abatement, and revenue gathered. While engine efficiency improvements had been offset by purchasing trends towards larger and generally less efficient cars in the past, with the average MJ/km remaining constant from 2000 to 2007, this analysis shows that in the first year of the new taxation system the average specific emissions of new cars fell by 13% to 145g/km. This was brought about, not by a reduction in engine size, but rather through a significant shift to diesel cars. Despite an unexpected reduction in car sales due to a recession in 2008, the policy measure has had a larger than anticipated impact on CO2 emissions, calculated to be 5.9ktCO2 in the first year of the measure. The strong price signal did however result in a 33% reduction in tax revenue from VRT, in financial terms amounting to a drop of €166 million compared to a baseline situation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper an energy balance and a greenhouse gas profile has been formulated for the county of Wexford, situated in the south east of Ireland. The energy balance aims to aggregate all energy consumption in the county for the year 2006 across the following sectors; residential, agriculture, commerce and industry, and transport. The results of the energy balance are compared with the previous energy balance of 2001 where it is found that the residential sector is the biggest emitter of CO2 with 38% of total emissions with the transport and industry/commerce sectors sharing second place on 28%. Consumption of oil is seen to have increased significantly in nearly all sectors, accounting for over 70% of the total final energy consumed (TFC) while the total primary energy requirement (TPER) sees oil consumption accounting for 91% of all fuels consumed. To take into account the contribution of agriculture in total GHG emissions the gases CH4 and N2O will be estimated from the agricultural and waste sectors. The results show that methane contributes 25% of total GHG emissions with agriculture being the primary contributor accounting for 36% of total emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The 2018 recast European Renewable Energy Directive (RED recast) sets emissions savings criteria for renewable fuels. This paper assesses the life-cycle emissions from gasification methanation of willow to produce renewable biomethane in order to compare the heat and transport 2026 sustainability criteria in the RED recast. The criteria are more stringent for use of the fuel as heat, with both a higher specified emissions savings criteria (80% versus 65% for transport) and a lower Fossil Fuel Comparator (80 g CO 2 MJ−1 versus 94 CO 2 MJ−1 for transport). Scenarios tested were based on both the RED recast and the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Global Warming Potential (GWP) values. Agro-chemical input data from Teagasc (the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority) was used for both mineral and organic fertilisers. Previous land use was shown to have a significant impact on the results of the analysis. Overall, 24 scenarios were tested. Converting land from grassland for cultivation of willow results in greater emissions when compared to conversion from arable land. The gasification methanation pathway was found to meet emissions savings criteria for transport in most cases, and for heat when converting from arable land only. The highest emission saving of 97% was achieved through conversion from arable land for the transport end use. • Willow biomethane meets sustainability criteria in the RED recast for transport. • Converting from grassland as opposed to arable land results in higher emissions. • Willow biomethane from grassland does not meet sustainability criteria for heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drained peatlands are significant hotspots of carbon dioxide (CO2/ emissions and may also be more vulnerable to fire with its associated gaseous emissions. Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from peatlands managed for extraction are reported on an annual basis. However, the Tier 1 (default) emission factors (EFs) provided in the IPCC 2013 Wetlands Supplement for this land use category may not be representative in all cases and countries are encouraged to move to highertier reporting levels with reduced uncertainty levels based on country- or regional-specific data. In this study, we quantified (1) C-CO2 emissions from nine peat extraction sites in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, which were initially disaggregated by land use type (industrial versus domestic peat extraction), and (2) a range of GHGs that are released to the atmosphere with the burning of peat. Drainagerelated methane (CH4/ and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions as well as CO2-C emissions associated with the off-site decomposition of horticultural peat were not included here. Our results show that net CO2-C emissions were strongly controlled by soil temperature at the industrial sites (bare peat) and by soil temperature and leaf area index at the vegetated domestic sites. Our derived EFs of 1.70 (±0.47) and 1.64 (±0.44) tCO2-C ha-1 yr-1 for the industrial and domestic sites respectively are considerably lower than the Tier 1 EF (2.8±1.7 tCO2-C ha-1 yr-1/ provided in theWetlands Supplement. We propose that the difference between our derived values and the Wetlands Supplement value is due to differences in peat quality and, consequently, decomposition rates. Emissions from burning of the peat (g kg-1 dry fuel burned) were estimated to be approximately 1346 CO2, 8.35 methane (CH4/, 218 carbon monoxide (CO), 1.53 ethane (C2H6/, 1.74 ethylene (C2H4/, 0.60 methanol (CH3OH), 2.21 hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and 0.73 ammonia (NH3/, and this emphasises the importance of understanding the full suite of trace gas emissions from biomass burning. Our results highlight the importance of generating reliable Tier 2 values for different regions and land use categories. Furthermore, given that the IPCC Tier 1 EF was only based on 20 sites (all from Canada and Fennoscandia), we suggest that data from another 9 sites significantly expand the global data set, as well as adding a new region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewetting of drained industrial peatlands may reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and promote recolonisation by peat forming plant species. We investigated carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) dynamics over a three-year period in a rewetted industrial peatland in Ireland. Sample plots were established in bare peat, Juncus effusus-Sphagnum cuspidatum, Sphagnum cuspidatum and Eriophorum angustifolium dominated microsites. The relationships between fluxes and environmental variables were examined and regression models were used to provide an estimate of the annual GHG balance for each microsite. All the vegetated microsites were carbon sinks for the duration of the study. Highest uptake occurred in the Eriophorum microsite (146-583 g C m-2 yr-1), followed by Juncus-Sphagnum (35-204 g C m-2 yr-1) and Sphagnum (5-140 g C m-2 yr-1). The bare peat microsite was a source of 37-82 g C m-2 yr-1. No N2O fluxes were detected. Strong inter-annual variation was observed in all microsites, driven by variation in precipitation and subsequent changes in the position of the water table. In terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP), the microsites had either a cooling effect (Eriophorum), a close to neutral effect (Juncus-Sphagnum, Sphagnum) or a warming effect (bare peat) on the climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate policy is driving an extensive deployment of wind generation in the Irish electricity market. This study evaluates the cost of increasing wind generation both to the system as a whole and to consumers for 2020. We consider different scenarios on fuel and carbon-dioxide permit prices and the extent of electricity interconnection with Great Britain. For a small and isolated electricity system such as Ireland, a high penetration of wind is economically sound only with increased interconnection to Great Britain, since wind generation would otherwise be curtailed. Not surprisingly, for low fuel prices the least-cost scenario contains low levels of wind generation whereas the opposite is true for high fuel prices. The findings highlight the importance of interconnection and its operation and governance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We studied vegetation dynamics at peatlands, differing in their climate, land use management history and vegetation community in Ireland and Finland over a two-year period. Our aim was to develop a species-specific method to be used to (1) describe the seasonal dynamics of green (photosynthetic) area (GA) of the vegetation and (2) incorporate these changes into CO2 exchange models. The extent of temporal and spatial variation between and within communities indicated the need for a two-step calculation approach for each community. Firstly, at biweekly to monthly intervals, GA of all species within a range of vascular plant communities was estimated by non-destructive field measurements. Gaussian or log-normal models were fitted to describe the seasonal dynamics of each species. Secondly, an estimate of community vascular green area (VGA) was obtained by summing the modelled daily GA of all species within the community. The highest values of VGA (2.1–6.0 m2 m−2) occurred within the reed communities at the rewetted cutaway peatland in Ireland and the lowest at the ombrotrophic lawn communities in Finland (0.5–1.0 m2 m−2). The relationship between light saturated gross photosynthesis ( P G) and VGA was either linear or hyperbolic depending on the degree of self-shading that occurred within each community. The addition of the VGA term into P G models improved the explaining power of the model by 57.6, 24.5 and 23% within the Typha latifolia, Phalaris arundinacea and Eriophorum angustifolium/Carex rostrata communities, respectively. VGA proved useful in recording the seasonal development of a wide range of peatland vascular plant communities over geographically and climatically different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]