The recent revelation that energy saving technologies such as electric vehicles, solar panels and heat pumps are increasingly the preserve of the wealthy is another blow to the Government’s climate action plan. The study examining these issues from Trinity College, Dublin found that EVs and heat pumps are five to seven times more prevalent in better-off areas than in lower-income neighbourhoods. The reality that Ireland is very unlikely to meet its targets should allow room for some more innovative thinking. New approaches are needed based on the incentives facing households and the complexity of the energy transition. Realism is needed here, but so too is acceptance of the need for new strategies to achieve as much as possible.

Source: The Irish Times March 18, 2026 01:30 UTC