Last year, Ireland's primary energy and related CO2 emissions fell by 1.2% and 3.8% respectively, according to a new report Energy in Ireland 1990-2013.

The report, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), provides further evidence of the effect of ambitious energy policy on our decision making and consumption patterns.

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Speaking at the launch, Dr Brian Motherway, CEO of SEAI said: "These are good indicators of progress towards greater energy sustainability. Last year more than a fifth of our electricity came from renewables, displacing €300 million of fossil fuel imports. Carbon emissions per unit of electricity generated in Ireland are now just over half of what they were in 1990, possibly the lowest they have ever been."

Improved building energy regulations, coupled with the success of Building Energy Rating and the Better Energy upgrade programmes, means the average energy consumption of a home is now a third lower than in 1990.

(CD/JP)