Replacing of 10% of cars, vans and buses in Ireland with currently available models of hybrid and battery electric vehicles could reduce national CO2 emissions by 0.35 million tonnes annually—the equivalent of removing emissions from over 100,000 cars on Irish roads.

This is one of the main findings from a study on costs and benefits of the use of Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Battery Electric Vehicles in Ireland, conducted by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). In 2006 the Transport Sector was the only sector in the economy not to experience either reductions in energy related C02 emissions or low levels of growth compared with the previous year.

The transport sector recorded a 7.1% growth in emissions in 2006 compared to 2005. Transport now accounts for 35% of energy related emissions.

Brendan Halligan, Chairman, SEI, said: "This research is of particular importance within the context of our ability to understand how we can use currently available technologies to bring about improvements in the CO2 intensity of the transport sector. Ireland has targets to meet in terms of reduction of CO2 and with the transport sector currently accounting for 35% of energy related emissions it is imperative that we prioritise measures to bring about meaningful reductions in the short to medium term."

According to recommendations made in the reports, fleet vehicles in cities or urban areas, should be targeted first under any plans to bring about a move to the use of Hybrid Electric Vehicles and Battery Electric Vehicles.

Urban road transport is by its nature more fuel intensive and organisations with large numbers of vehicles in urban use, such as municipal vehicles, police and public transport fleets, would benefit most from efficiencies associated with the integration of Hybrid or Battery Electric Vehicles into their fleets.

SEI believes that policies should be examined as part of a wider policy review to ensure that obstacles to the introduction of such vehicles in Ireland are minimized.