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A recent report discovered several significant flaws in the Department for the Economy’s execution of its energy strategy. A whopping £107 million has already been spent on this initiative, which aims to achieve net zero emissions and make energy more affordable. Unfortunately, the Northern Ireland Audit Office has raised concerns about the department’s ability to meet two out of three key targets set for 2030, citing a very significant risk of failure.
Auditors highlighted that only 1% of the energy savings outlined in the strategy have been achieved so far. Moreover, key performance metrics have not been assessed for years, painting a bleak picture of the strategy’s progress. Originally published in 2021 to align with UK-wide emission reduction requirements, the energy strategy was designed to facilitate transition to net-zero emissions and ensure cost-effective energy solutions for both businesses and consumers.
One particular area of concern identified in the report was the lack of progress in energy efficiency improvements for buildings and industry, with just 1% of the targeted savings realized. Additionally, the goal to generate electricity from renewable sources is currently facing a 35% deficit. Governance issues were also highlighted, particularly regarding the oversight group responsible for tracking the strategy’s advancements, which proved ineffective in monitoring progress against established targets.
Approximately £85 million of the total expenditure has been allocated to capital projects, with the remainder going towards departmental staffing costs since the strategy’s inception in 2020. Lack of clarity around action plans, inadequate planning, and unnecessary consultations have led to confusion regarding the projects that are being prioritized. Some initiatives, such as a business energy efficiency scheme and a centralized information portal for decarbonizing energy supply, were initially proposed, consulted on, and then abandoned, exacerbating the inefficiencies in the strategy’s implementation
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