Further emissions and energy targeting: an application of CO₂ emissions pinch analysis to the Irish electricity generation sector

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.