Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025 published
The Department for the Economy has published the Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025, outlining Northern Ireland’s energy priorities for the year ahead. Published in March 2025, the action plan forms part of the Executive’s overarching strategy, The Path to Net Zero Energy, which was first published in 2021.
The fourth annual action plan continues the approach of setting out short-term, practical steps to progress the long-term goal of achieving a decarbonised and secure energy system.
The 2025 plan comprises 34 priority actions spanning electricity, heat, transport, energy efficiency, and enabling frameworks.
Policy mechanisms
A central focus of the 2025 plan is the design and preparation for delivery mechanisms that are intended to come into effect over the medium term.
Chief among these is a consultation on the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), which will inform the first auction planned for 2026. The scheme is expected to be a key instrument in supporting additional renewable electricity generation capacity, aligned with the target of 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 under the Climate Change (Northern Ireland) Act 2022.
The plan also initiates the development of a Smart Metering Design Plan. This action aims to prepare the groundwork for the future roll out of smart meters across the electricity sector, supporting greater system flexibility, consumer engagement, and data-driven grid management.
Decarbonisation of heat and housing
On the residential side, the Department states that it will “continue work” on a support scheme for low-carbon heat and improved energy efficiency in homes. This action aims to contribute to the broader objective of reducing emissions from the built environment, which is particularly significant given that the sector remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, particularly oil.
The proposed scheme aims to take into account existing research and consultation feedback, with further work to refine delivery models, eligibility criteria, and funding mechanisms. The plan indicates a longer-term view toward ensuring the necessary supply chains, skills base, and public awareness are in place to support widescale retrofit activity.
Community energy
The 2025 Action Plan includes the launch of a community energy pathfinder project, described in the document as an “all-of-government initiative aimed at exploring new models for local energy delivery”.
The project will focus on identifying practical approaches to enable community-level participation in the energy transition, with consideration given to governance structures, economic models, and local authority roles.
This aligns with wider themes in the energy strategy around just transition and local benefit-sharing. While still in early stages, the pathfinder approach may inform future policy on decentralised energy and community ownership.
Strategy review
A significant milestone for 2025 is the planned Mid-Term Review of the Energy Strategy. This review will assess progress since 2021, identify any gaps or delays, and establish updated milestones to 2030. It is intended to ensure alignment with the statutory climate targets, including net zero emissions by 2050.
The plan highlights the role of monitoring and evaluation in maintaining strategic alignment, and notes that stakeholder engagement will be part of the review process. This provides an opportunity to revisit assumptions, review implementation structures, and consider changes in the wider policy and economic context.
Reflections on 2024
The Action Plan is accompanied by the 2024 Action Plan Report, which sets out activities delivered over the previous calendar year. These include work on the Future Energy Data Strategy, analysis of hydrogen development opportunities, and initial steps in electric vehicle infrastructure planning.
While the report notes progress across various areas, it also highlights the complexity of coordinating multi-agency delivery and preparing sectors for transition. The Department points to continued engagement with industry, academia, and other departments as central to achieving the outlined actions.
Analysis
A number of cross-cutting themes run through the 2025 plan. These include the importance of system-level coordination – particularly between energy, planning, and digital infrastructure – and the need for enabling policies to support investment and innovation.
Skills, supply chain capacity, and consumer awareness are also acknowledged as necessary enablers for implementation. While specific actions in these areas are still developing, the plan notes the role of collaboration across sectors to address challenges including capability and resourcing.
The Energy Strategy Action Plan 2025 represents the continuation of a phased approach to energy system transformation. With statutory targets in place and key deadlines approaching – particularly the 2030 renewable electricity target – the focus remains on building the conditions for large-scale delivery over the coming years.
The actions identified for 2025 reflect a mix of preparatory and enabling work, along with early-stage design of future schemes. As the energy transition progresses, the outcomes of planned consultations, pilot projects, and strategic reviews will help to inform next steps across government, industry, and local delivery partners.
