A recent EY study reveals a concern that the progress in the transition to eco-friendly energy could be faltering within Irish households, despite 78% of Irish consumers stating their commitment to sustainability. The survey, which questioned 23,000 energy users across 21 countries, including 1,042 in Ireland, indicates a growing interest in a greener energy future among households worldwide.
Nonetheless, when it comes to transitioning to cleaner energy sources, the majority of Irish households (57%) argue that either their energy suppliers or their government ought to lead the way, rather than consumers themselves. At the same time, 69% of Irish home-owners suggest they would struggle to handle a 10% rise in their utility bill, given the ongoing global energy crisis and domestic cost of living issues.
Analyzing generational attitudes towards green energy costs, the EY research discovered that 32% of Generation Z and 20% of Millennials were prepared to pay a higher premium to receive environmentally friendly energy. This is contrasted by just 14% of Generation X and 15% of Baby Boomers willing to do the same.
Seán Casey, EY’s leader in energy and infrastructure consultancy, flagged the challenge of Irish homes believing they are doing enough for sustainability. He emphasised that 70% of eco-friendly advancements rely on consumer behaviour changes and that significant work is needed to foster engagement with and promote sustainable energy practices among consumers, energy providers, and the government. He stressed the need for making renewable home energy, electric vehicles, and daily sustainable practices more appealing and affordable options for consumers.
Furthermore, the EY study investigated the ‘action-reaction’ paradox which suggests that consumers often counteract their positive environmental steps with detrimental actions. Here, they found that 72% of Irish individuals negate their efforts to reduce their environmental impact with less sustainable actions and habits.
This entails retaining an old appliance or gadget while introducing a new one (21 per cent), escalating the operation of a newly procured appliance due to its cheaper operating cost than the former one (28 per cent), and modifying or buying something to cut down energy expenses only to allocate the spare funds on other items (31 per cent).
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