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Chris Radburn/PA

Bad news for the environment: 4 out of 5 use fossil fuels to heat homes

Census 2011 found a clear urban-rural split between people using oil and natural gas to heat their homes.

FOSSIL FUELS REMAIN the most popular way to heat Irish homes with four out of five households using them in central heating systems.

Census 2011 found 80 per cent of homes use oil, natural gas or coal for heating, with a clear urban-rural split between oil and natural gas.

Oil is by far the most-used fuel in rural areas, with 70 per cent of households using it for heating. Natural gas is the most popular fuel in towns and cities, accounting for just over half (52 per cent) of central heating.

Peat, including turf, accounted for just over 10 per cent of central heating in rural areas but barely figured in urban areas.

Coal was used as the primary fuel by 5 per cent of homes.

The preliminary results of the census found that under 1 in 50 homes do not have any central heating at all.

The census also found that three quarters of households got their water supply from public mains, rising to 92 per cent in urban areas. Getting water from other sources was far more common in rural areas.

The question about central heating was one of several new questions which appeared on the 2011 census.

All the latest Census 2011 results here >

Here are the highlights of Census 2011 >

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36 Comments
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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Mar 29th 2012, 10:39 PM

    Good luck with trying to heat your home any other way

    132
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    Mute Itchy Brain
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    Mar 29th 2012, 11:03 PM

    What about wood peddler burners.

    Wood stoves that heat rads and water are pretty good as well.

    Storage heaters are ideal for those that produce there own electricity through micro generation.

    Houses in Ireland are very poorly insulated. People need to cop on to some simple facts and realise how just a few simple changes can save money.

    43
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    Mute Sean Davids
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    Mar 30th 2012, 2:50 AM

    That’s all well and good if you live in the sticks! Do the Maths (not what the company selling it to you says) on a solar PV pay back and you’ll be shocked

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 30th 2012, 5:02 AM

    What’s solar pv or where you live to do with it? It is possible to retro-fit most buildings with substantial insulation and quality glazing. Solar panels for hot water are increasingly affordable. Grant aid is available for insulation. The State could do far more to improve building standards, starting with its own stock. ..

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    Mute Itchy Brain
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    Mar 30th 2012, 7:35 AM

    Hey Sean, where did I mention anything about solar PV? I mentioned micro gen, don’t worry I’m fully aware of how uneconomical solar PV is. I did the maths and it worked that it would take 60 years to pay it back based on today’s rates.

    Wood burning stoves can still be used in suburban areas. I have one and my back garden is tiny.

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    Mute Sean Davids
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    Mar 30th 2012, 9:33 AM

    You said heat your place with storage heaters probably the least efficient method of heating a house. What I meant was living in a apartment I would have some job try to run a wood pellet boiler or install solar thermal.

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    Mute Itchy Brain
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:22 PM

    Fair enough, although I used to live in an apartment and heating it was never an issue. We had storage heating and we rarely used it. Must’ve had something to do with the fact that there was only one external wall and heat rising from apartments below us

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 31st 2012, 3:06 AM

    State energy policy can’t be determined by the individualist outlook of an apartment dweller. Energy consumption can be reduced through communal action. If there’s political will, this could be facilitated by the State. Cutting consumption would reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. This kind of approach is regarded as unremarkable elsewhere…

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    Mute Martin Grehan
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    Mar 29th 2012, 10:53 PM

    And the 20% who don’t use fossil fuels? Use electricity I assume. Which is mainly generated through the burning of fossil fuels. Excellent article…

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 30th 2012, 5:15 AM

    What proportion of Airtricity’s output comes from fossil fuel. Are there really no other alternatives to fossil fuels? When it’s light, step outside. Look up, a bit. The big fiery ball we call the sun. It’s hot. ..

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    Mute Martin Grehan
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    Mar 30th 2012, 10:13 AM

    All proportions of Airtricity’s electricity is generated by the ESB. The ESB is the only generator of electricity in the state. And they use peat and gas fired stations mostly, with some coal and some hydroelectric/wind power making up a small percentage. So essentially all fossil fuels.

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 30th 2012, 7:45 PM

    Ok. So those big windmills about the place are doing what exactly?

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    Mute Martin Grehan
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    Mar 30th 2012, 7:56 PM

    Generating quite a small percentage of the amount of electricity we use. More renewable resources are needed, I’m in favour of those, just having a general moan about poor quality of the article :)

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    Mute Aidan
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    Mar 29th 2012, 10:42 PM

    In other news…the obvious becomes a news story…
    But seriously, this ain’t changing.
    The lack of funding for renewables is disgraceful.

    58
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    Mute Peter
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:16 AM

    Why should the gov subsidise fuel alternatives… This only leads to crap look at what we have with esb and bord gas both terrible and wasteful… The market needs to be opened up

    19
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    Mute G Charles Osborne
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:52 AM

    Peter, this reply is incoherent.

    To answer your first point though – because we will exhaust our fossil fuel supplies this century and we need sustainable alternatives. We are lagging the rest of Europe in renewable grants and feed-in tariffs. Unbelievably, ESB are no longer installing smart meters and one can no longer grid-connect with micro-generation in this country. Just another shameful statistic amongst the hundreds of this government.

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    Mute Itchy Brain
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    Mar 30th 2012, 9:21 AM

    G Charles Osborne, don’t suppose you have an article based on what you have stated about the ESB.

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    Mute Jay Warner
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    Mar 29th 2012, 11:56 PM

    I vote for nuclear power but i know the green lunatics will not be happy until we are all back to the stone age. I do have one question though.. how come charge more for wind generated electricity they fossil fuel electricity… why would anyone fall for that?

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    Mute Tim James
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:16 AM

    Because renewables cost dear per kW to generate

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 30th 2012, 5:18 AM

    Gave that a lot of thought Jay. ..

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    Mute HelloGoogleTracking!
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:54 PM

    I would vote nuclear also.

    All the risks would have to be considered, the latest reactor designs are greatly improved, and a storage solution would have to be feasble. Underground, under mountain in solid rock, free from any seismic activity.

    It is cheap, clean energy…..reliable and efficient. Not without drawbacks, but better than any other alternative.

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    Mute michael cuthbert
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    Mar 30th 2012, 7:55 PM

    Hello hello. Just stated a number of reasons nuclear isn’t as cheap as you claim. Burying waste in a mountain? Investment in quality building and transport is better investment. Also, is there a nuclear plant small enough for ireland? How long would development and planning take given public scepticism?

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    Mute Martin Grehan
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    Mar 30th 2012, 8:02 PM

    The risks with nuclear power are too costly. The potential (however small the probability) for disaster are huge, the waste needs to be stored for thousands of years before its radioactivity decreases. It really is putting long term energy solutions on the (very) long finger. The answer has to be better investment in public transport and sustainable energy.

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    Mute HelloGoogleTracking!
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    Mar 30th 2012, 8:24 PM

    @Michael and Martin

    Good points from each of you and I agree. Investment in public transport and building etc are vital. So is clean cheap energy, nuclear is a viable option. I would point out that they are not mutually exclusive.

    Is there costs involved in nuclear: yes. Is the technical challenge of safe disposal of waste impossible:no. Are facilities already constructed and being constructed:yes. Is burying under a mountain crazy or extraordinary:no. Is the cost a fraction of current energy solutions:yes.

    Nuclear is proven to be safe and reliable, have there been accidents:yes. And they are used to ensure future projects are safe. Can it even be risk free:no. Have a look at current reactor designs, they are very impressive.

    You must remember, nuclear energy is simply boiling water into steam and turning turbines. The heat comes from radioactive decay, of refined uranium, but that is a natural reaction. and the destructive radiation is easily blocked with lead. The challenge is to contain the radiation and transfer the heat, it is an engineering challenge but easily managed.

    A few more points, sustainable energy is a phrase not a reality. There will always be investment and research into alternatives, and we all hope that that one will be found. Wind, wave, solar etc all hold great promise but are very rudimentary and insufficient to meet demand.

    In the meantime you have to decide what is the worse evil, burning fossil fuels and unbalancing the carbon cycle and contributing to undisputed greenhouse effects (the scale can be debated however the effect is real).
    Or investment in proven technology with inherent risks within engineering ability to mitigate.

    Also remember to factor in the investment required for sustainable energy research, do you prefer it comes from government or private sectors. Myself I would chose private every time, if it is a chance to make money it will be developed, and quicker than the state.

    In the meantime nuclear exists and works, and can be built relatively cheaply.

    @the public fear point, that is an issue, it is best addressed with education. Once the hysteria is removed and replaced with rational thought it quickly disappears.

    Cheers

    1
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    Mute Frank Caffrey
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    Mar 29th 2012, 11:14 PM

    There is no shortage of oil and coal. Just a shortage of cheap oil and coal. Which will come in handy during the coming ice age.

    14
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    Mute Jay Warner
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:32 AM

    Well what Muppet thought that is a winner of an idea then? I’ll be buying old fashioned electricity until someone fixes that new stuff then I guess. Global Warming Swindle really is just a double con then.

    14
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Mar 29th 2012, 11:03 PM

    Oil is our of our reach at this stage gas also because we do not have piped gas where I live turf ha ha ha after this year it will be impossible to get same briquettes are too dear a bale Timber and coal is about all that is left the hears up a home that you can buy relatively easy !!!!!!!!!!!!

    12
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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Mar 29th 2012, 11:04 PM

    *** out***

    4
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    Mute Cathal Martin
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    Mar 30th 2012, 7:16 AM

    lol

    1
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    Mute Mad Taoiseach
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    Mar 30th 2012, 7:02 AM

    Think of the VAT and Carbon Tax.
    What a winner.

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    Mute Thats So Grodie
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    Mar 30th 2012, 9:58 AM

    Ohhhh enda

    1
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    Mute Thats So Grodie
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    Mar 30th 2012, 10:01 AM

    Every town should have wind turbines. Lots of spots through out the country like outside carnew for example. They spin everyday all day.

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    Mute Geraldine O'Connor
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:24 PM

    That’s So Grodie – wind turbines are attached to the national grid right? so what does ESB make from the power generated from them? if they do.

    And if they provide energy to power homes and business in the area who is paying for the turbines? These are genuine questions, as it’s not easy to get facts about the economies of wind turbines in Ireland, the info out there is slanted either to the extreme left or right. Thanks,

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    Mute Rodger O Waters
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    Mar 30th 2012, 8:45 AM

    Ought to conserve the turf for when the oil runs out….and it’s running.

    2
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    Mute HelloGoogleTracking!
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    Mar 30th 2012, 12:48 PM

    Carbon is natural, it is not a pollutant, and a natural carbon cycle is essential to life. We breath in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. All plant life use carbon dioxide as fuel in photosynthesis to create oxygen, high carbon encourages growth.

    It is also a by-product of burning anything, and burning is required for heat.

    All that said we need to prevent levels rising to high, if the author / the majority of commenters are suggesting reducing carbon emissions to zero, then this is ridiculous. It should be about managing, and in the area of heat generation, burning with be required for a long time to come.

    P.S. On a light note, bear in mind that supporting zero carbon, would require the individual to stop respiration, evolution would then ensure such individuals are removed from the gene pool. :)

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    Mute Jay Warner
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    Mar 30th 2012, 6:21 PM

    Some of us as a species really have a high opinion of themselves to assume that we can change a natural warming and cooling cycle of the planet. What started out as a good way of getting easy research grants has turned into a global business with big business and governments being the idea of man made global warming to push expensive alternatives and raise obscene amounts in extra taxes. I have no problem with any form of so called green energy but it has to be cheaper than the alternatives and not one cent of carbon tax either goes to stopping climate change or subsidizing the price of the green alternatives. And by the way unless you know nothing of geology it is huberis to think that so called fossil fuels aren’t still being produced by the planet. Its like saying evolution stopped… unless you are a lunatic creationist in which case god will provide anyway and fossil fuels could not exist because the are no fossils anyway as the panet is far too young. You can’t fix stupid.

    3
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