Energy intensity in Ireland
Ireland: Energy intensity was 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022. ▼ Falling
Energy intensity in Ireland, 2000–2022
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices for energy intensity in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is down 11.0% on the previous year and down 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Ireland peaked at 3.12 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2022.
That places Ireland 200th out of 201 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Energy intensity in Ireland, year by year
| Year | megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.12 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2001 | 3.08 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 2.92 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.2% |
| 2003 | 2.77 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 2.67 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 2.55 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 2.44 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 2.36 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 2.45 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 2.5 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 2.46 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 2.22 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.8% |
| 2012 | 2.22 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2.19 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.0% |
| 2015 | 1.65 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -16.2% |
| 2016 | 1.7 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 1.51 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -11.2% |
| 2018 | 1.41 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.6% |
| 2019 | 1.33 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 1.21 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 1.09 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.9% |
| 2022 | 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -11.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.69 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.36 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.12 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.87 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 1.33 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.46 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.09 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 1.21 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More energy & mining data for Ireland
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fuel imports 6.2% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 1.0% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 0.6% (2024)
- Gas production 11.53 terawatt-hours (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Ireland?
- Energy intensity in Ireland was 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022, according to International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.12 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2000.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.97 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022.
- How does Ireland rank for energy intensity?
- Ireland ranks 200th out of 201 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Amount of energy needed to produce one unit of economic output. A lower number means that economies produce economic value in a less energy-intensive way. This data is measured in megajoules per dollar, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.