Days and days without heat and water. No oven or microwave to cook a hot meal. Uncharged phones; no internet. Whole towns sold out of bread and gas. No power for medical devices.
Storm Éowyn’s hurricane-force winds caused unprecedented destruction to Ireland’s electricity network.
For hundreds of thousands, power cuts were deeply uncomfortable and disruptive. But for many – especially the most vulnerable – the consequences have been severe, with lives and livelihoods threatened.
Electricity is something we take for granted until it is gone. This storm has shown how essential reliable power is to modern life. In contrast to Ireland’s typical energy abundance, more than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack any electricity – an enormous barrier to development. That’s why one of the UN’s sustainable development goals is dedicated achieving universal access to energy.
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In Ireland, an energy transition is under way to move away from fossil fuels in power, heating, and transport. But with climate change bringing more extreme and unpredictable weather, and Storm Éowyn exposing our energy vulnerabilities, it is essential to take stock of whether our approach is building resilience, or making us more fragile.
Experiences shared in forums groups during the power cuts showed that new clean energy technologies can actually improve resilience
Advocates of clean energy, including me, listened with dismay as media commentators praised open fires, gas stoves and diesel generators, while criticising A-rated homes and electric vehicles (EVs) as unreliable.
Decarbonising our energy system requires electrifying heating and transport, but unless we ensure electricity resilience, homes could be left exposed during power cuts. Natural suspicion of new technologies means that if this storm erodes public confidence in electrification, it could lead to backtracking, something we can’t afford.
But experiences shared in forums and Facebook groups during the power cuts showed that new clean energy technologies can actually improve resilience, if designed properly.
[ Could electric cars help us keep the lights on during power cuts?Opens in new window ]
Many people discovered the “vehicle-to-load” (V2L) function, an unsung perk of many EV models that allows electricity to be drawn from the car’s battery. With an adapter, an EV battery can power household essentials – lighting, refrigeration, device charging, and even medical equipment – for more than a week. EV owners shared photos of coffee machines, heaters, wifi routers and freezers running off their car batteries. One man even used his EV to power a neighbour’s nebuliser.
Others with home batteries had power through the blackout, topped up from their rooftop solar panels, but only if their systems were installed with appropriate switches. The cost of batteries has fallen dramatically, making them a viable option for backup power while also lowering energy bills and emissions.
Despite these advantages, public awareness of and policy supports remain poor. Many EV owners didn’t have the required V2L adapter, or know about the function in time to benefit. Many solar panel owners were unable to access their own energy because their systems weren’t configured to work off-grid. The government removed home battery grants in 2022, and there is a widespread but incorrect belief that ESB Networks doesn’t permit off-grid switches. Some also wrongly believe that using V2L voids an EV’s warranty.
These gaps highlight a policy and communications failure. A transition to clean energy that doesn’t account for resilience will leave people frustrated and vulnerable, especially in rural areas. It also highlights the need to provide financial supports – electrified systems being many benefits and cost savings, but the upfront cost is prohibitive for many.
Heating is another big concern during blackouts. While much media commentary focused on the negative aspects of electrified, A-rated homes, the reality is that well-insulated homes – those built to modern energy efficiency standards – retain heat far longer than typical Irish homes. Moreover, oil and gas boilers, and solid fuel stoves with back boilers also need electricity to operate.
However, many homeowners in rural areas may now reconsider blocking up fireplaces when retrofitting. Even if well-insulated homes rarely need a stove, the psychological comfort of having a backup heat source during extreme events is significant.
But energy resilience requires systemic solutions, not just individual preparedness.
A resilient energy system must withstand and recover quickly from shocks – extreme weather, cyberattacks or fuel supply disruptions. Storm Éowyn exposed the vulnerabilities of Ireland’s electricity grid, particularly the distribution network.
Ireland’s legacy of one-off rural housing means we have 165,000km of distribution lines, four times the per-capita average in Europe. This sprawling network is difficult and costly to maintain, and restoring power to thousands of scattered homes after a storm is slow and complex.
We can’t undo this legacy, but future planning should prioritise dense, well-serviced development. More compact communities mean lower grid maintenance costs and greater resilience.
Forestry also plays a role. While tree planting is a key climate action, fallen trees were a big cause of power outages during Storm Éowyn. Planning afforestation in a way that doesn’t threaten electricity infrastructure is essential.
It would be a tragic irony if Storm Éowyn caused Ireland’s energy transition to slow down just as climate change is making extreme weather more frequent.
We face a choice. Some argue this storm proves we need to slow electrification and stick with fossil fuels. That would be a regressive step.
Hannah Daly is professor of sustainable energy at UCC
