One of the criticisms levelled at electric vehicles (EVs) over the years has related to their upstream climate impact. While the vehicles themselves do not burn fossil fuels and therefore don’t produce any direct CO2 emissions, there are still the indirect impacts of emissions produced in the generation of the power needed to charge their batteries.
To use a very crude calculation, about 40 per cent of the Republic’s electricity came from renewable sources in 2024. That leaves 60 per cent coming from traditional fossil fuels. For the average EV owner, that effectively means they are producing CO2 emissions for six out of every 10 kilometres driven. Not so clean and green after all, then.
The good news for climate-conscious motorists is that there are ways around this. The first is to generate your own green energy either at home or at business premises through the installation of solar panels – for example, on roofs or on the grounds of factories. Small wind turbines are also an option in certain instances. Self-generation has the added attraction of helping to address rising energy bills. It also comes with the bonus of being able to sell electricity back to the grid when you have a surplus and no way of storing it.
The other way is to source your electricity from a company such as Pinergy, which can guarantee that all power supplied comes from renewable sources. Combine that with the self-generation option and you’ve got very cost-effective, truly emissions-free EVs.
“Absolutely any business that uses electricity can benefit from solar power,” says Martin Mulholland, commercial operations director with Activ8 Energies. “At Activ8 Energies, we see strong uptake across manufacturing, food processing, retail, hospitality, logistics and even airports. We install systems on rooftops, ground mounts and even car ports.
“The common thread is energy demand; if you have significant daytime electricity usage, solar can dramatically reduce your reliance on the grid. For energy-intensive industries, it’s a way to control long-term costs and hedge against volatility. For customer-facing businesses, it also showcases a real commitment to sustainability, which is increasingly important for lenders, supply chains and brand reputation.”
What about Ireland’s weather conditions? This isn’t exactly the Costa del Sol. “Solar naturally generates more on bright, sunny days and less on cloudy ones, and of course none at night,” says Mulholland. “But businesses are never left without power; you stay connected to the grid at all times. That means any shortfall is simply topped up from your existing supply, ensuring seamless operation. Many Activ8 Energies customers also integrate battery storage, which allows them to store excess daytime generation for use later in the evening or during peak pricing periods. It’s about designing the system around the business’s unique consumption profile.”
He explains that businesses can avail of these advantages without spending any money upfront through a power purchase agreement (PPA).
“This is essentially a long-term contract between Activ8 Energies, our partners SSE Airtricity and the business. We design, finance, install and maintain the solar system on your site, or neighbouring lands under a long-term lease, at zero upfront cost. In return, the business agrees to purchase the electricity the system generates at a fixed, discounted rate, typically well below the grid price. You’re effectively locking in cheaper, greener power without the capital expenditure.”
Most PPAs run for between 15 and 25 years, depending on the client’s needs, says Mulholland. “The longer the duration, the cheaper the energy rate will be. During that period, Activ8 Energies manages all maintenance and performance monitoring. At the end of the term, the business generally has a few options: you can extend the PPA, you can purchase the system outright at a nominal fee, or we can remove it. In reality, most businesses choose to keep the system, because it’s still generating strong returns and free electricity after the contract ends.”
This sounds almost too good to be true. The green power equivalent of a free lunch. Where’s the catch?
“That’s the beauty of the model – there isn’t a catch,” says Mulholland. “The reason it works is because the technology has matured to the point where solar is now the lowest-cost form of electricity generation. By funding the system, Activ8 Energies, in partnership with SSE Airtricity, take on the performance risk and recoup our investment gradually through the sale of the electricity. The business gets cheaper, predictable energy from day one, and we get a long-term partnership. It’s a win-win model, and that’s why it’s growing so rapidly in Ireland and across Europe.”
One Irish company that is both generating its own on-site renewable power and sourcing green energy from an external supplier is mattress and bed manufacturer Respa Beds. The company has completed a large renewable-energy upgrade at its production headquarters in Oldcastle, Co Meath, installing 758 solar panels across three buildings as part of a comprehensive sustainability strategy.
In collaboration with its energy partner Pinergy, Respa Beds will now generate 321,902kWh of solar energy annually from its on-site solar installation. The company will source its additional energy needs from Lackan Wind Farm in Sligo through a corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) with Pinergy.
According to Respa Beds CEO Pam Stone, the partnership with Pinergy will reduce the company’s carbon footprint by an estimated 151,233kg of CO₂ per year, the equivalent of taking 35 cars off the road for one year, or 12 million smartphone-charging sessions.