Archibald publishes Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025 - March 2025
Date published:
Economy Minister Dr. Caoimhe Archibald has today set out a roadmap for 2025 to advance the transition towards secure, affordable and clean energy.
This is the fourth annual action plan to be published following the launch of the Executive’s Northern Ireland Energy Strategy ‘Path to Net Zero’ in 2021. The Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025 is a key step to achieving the Strategy’s commitment to self-sufficiency in affordable renewable energy.
The key actions outlined in the Action Plan to be taken forward this year include:
• a consultation on the terms and conditions for the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme to enable the first auction in 2026;
• a support scheme design for future low carbon heat and energy efficiency in residential buildings;
• a smart meter design plan to enable an electricity grid ready to support delivery of the 80% renewable electricity target by 2030; and
• an all-of-Government approach to plan and deliver benefit at a local level through a community energy pathfinder project.
Launching the Action Plan, the Minister said: “Delivering an integrated decarbonised energy system presents huge economic opportunities for the north and interlinks the priorities of my Department’s economic plan.
“While much progress has been made to date, the importance of our need to accelerate towards energy self-sufficiency and away from a long-standing reliance on fossil fuels is clear.
“Delivering on this year’s Action Plan will require commitment across Government, the energy sector, business and academia to ensure that we deliver a just transition. This Plan is a roadmap to focus that transition and will bring the Department and its partners closer to meeting our decarbonisation targets and Climate Change Act commitments.”
Included in the Action Plan is the Department’s commitment to carry out the Energy Strategy Mid-Term Review, reporting on progress from 2021 and establishing the key milestones to 2030.
The Minister added: “This Action Plan marks a significant shift to delivering on our 2030 targets and I welcome the commitment to review the Energy Strategy to ensure that we are focused on delivering against those net zero targets.”
Alongside the Action Plan, the Minister also published the Energy Strategy Action Plan Report 2024, detailing progress on a range of actions carried out by the Department and Government partners in 2024.
Notes to editors:
1. The Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025 and Energy Strategy Action Plan Report 2024 are available on the DfE website.
2. The Energy Strategy – Path to Net Zero Energy was published in December 2021 and sets out a pathway for energy to 2030 that will mobilise the skills, technologies and behaviours needed to take us towards our ambition of self-sufficiency in affordable renewable energy.
3. The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 established that the Department for the Economy must ensure at least 80% electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2030, superseding the 70% renewable electricity consumption target established in the Energy Strategy (2021).
4. The Department for the Economy’s Economic Vision contains four key priorities of delivering more good jobs; addressing regional imbalance; increasing productivity; and delivering decarbonisation.
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