DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL! UNTIL YOU TRY SOLAR INSTEAD
Updated September 06, 2024
By Morgan Pierce
So that was it then. The Summer of 2024. Record setting rain in July and August, followed by just enough of a warm glimmer as we packed the school lunch boxes to make us all feel the pain for what we had missed.
Climate change scientists agree that if global temperatures continue to rise – and exceed the limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels – Ireland will experience warmer, wetter winters and hotter summers. In a warmer world, Ireland will also be battered by more frequent and extreme rainfall.
That’s the national picture. The world, meanwhile, looks set to have had its hottest year ever. “We are now in truly unchartered territory” said Carlo Buontempo, Director of the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
There will always be those for whom such projections are the words of “doomsayers”. Others simply shake their heads and say, “There’s nothing I can do.” Some more belligerent types complain “I didn’t cause climate change, why do I have to clean up the mess.”
For all of those people, there is one answer. Failing to tackle climate change now will cost us all more – and in more ways than we realise – later.
Think about the millions of euro in damage done by flooding in Midleton, County Cork last year. If you live on the Liffey, the Lee, or the Shannon – climate change could bring those waters to your door, too.
Warmer oceans will affect fish stocks. Erosion will change the shape and nature of our coastlines, potentially damaging tourism. What we can grow and when will change dramatically.
“A recent study suggests that by the end of the century the economic costs of climate change impacts for Ireland range from a GDP loss of €31 billion in a Paris-aligned, below-2-degree world to €130 billion in a world with global temperature of greater than 4 degrees,” Dr Barry O’Dwyer, associate director in sustainable futures with KPMG recently told the Irish Times.
“The scale of these losses highlights the pressing need for an intensification of adaptation efforts.”
Adaptation efforts.
Like going solar.
Climate change requires action, adaptation and investment.
I was put in mind of all this, not just by the weather, but by a bit of news I saw trending last week. It seems all of our electricity bills are set to rise by about €8 per month this winter. All the clicks were generated by people sighing “oh, no, not that too” – as I did myself.
Then I looked at the story more closely and discovered that the increase is in part down to the need to make the Grid more resilient. It’s also for making necessary improvements to support the increased use of renewable energy (like solar and wind) and the move away from fossil fuels.
And, suddenly, that €8 felt like the kind of increase I could tolerate. It was an €8 per month investment in adaptation – in future proofing Ireland’s energy supply and economy over the coming decades.
Compared to the billions of euro independent experts like Barry O’Dwyer predict Ireland’s economy could lose for failing to get to grips with climate change, it seemed like a pretty sensible use of my money.
Investment in the future. Adaptation. Resilience. Those are things we hear about from prospective customers every day. People who know that investing in solar energy now will save them thousands of euros for years to come.
The summer may be well and truly over. But advances in solar technology mean that homeowners can continue to generate free renewable energy from the sun in any season of the year.
If you are already reaching for the thermostat, you could also be reaching out to us.
Why Choose Solar In Ireland?
Investing in a solar panel systems in Ireland can bring many benefits, including reduced energy bills, increased energy independence, and a reduced carbon footprint. If you are interested in installing a solar panel system in Ireland, it is also worth exploring the different grant options and green business loans available and seeking professional advice from one of our solar energy advisors.
Feel free to contact us for more information, we’re here to help.