In a critical inquiry into the Department for the Economy’s delivery of the Energy Strategy, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealed that officials cannot demonstrate value for money.
Warning against further delay, PAC Chair Daniel McCrossan MLA said: “The Energy Strategy presents a major economic opportunity for Northern Ireland... However, opportunities will not wait indefinitely. The evidence we heard pointed to growing frustration among businesses and investors over delays, policy uncertainty and a lack of clarity around delivery.”
Calling for urgent momentum, Mr McCrossan added: “Our message is clear. There can be no further delays. Almost £124 million of public money has been spent on energy-related programmes and Energy Group staffing costs since 2020. We need assurances that Northern Ireland is on track.”
2030 Targets at risk
Northern Ireland’s Executive-wide Energy Strategy, published in 2021, sets out three mandatory economic and climate benchmarks:
- Reach at least 80% renewable electricity consumption by 2030
- Reduce energy consumption across industrial and residential buildings by 25%
- Doubling turnover in the local low-carbon and renewable energy sector to £2 billion
Infrastructure Bottlenecks and Investment Risks
The committee highlighted severe structural roadblocks holding back progress, including severe grid capacity constraints, inadequate energy storage, and protracted planning delays.
It also notes that the North/South Interconnector is not expected to be operational until 2031, a full year after the strategy's deadline.
The report warns that persistent policy uncertainty risks driving private capital towards Great Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe, where financial support schemes and delivery schedules offer greater certainty.
Key Public Accounts Committee Recommendations
To restore investor confidence and clear delivery bottlenecks, the committee published eleven specific recommendations, including:
- Publish and regularly update a clear policy statement setting out concrete interventions before the end of 2026
- Produce fully funded proposals within six months to tackle severe grid capacity and energy storage limits
- Reviewing governance and oversight within three months
- Create a joint delivery plan with the Department for Infrastructure and local councils within six months to resolve planning bottlenecks
- Bringing forward proposals to support local biomethane production
Read the reports full list of recommendations at: Public Accounts Committee - Report on Developing the skills for Northern Ireland’s future
