Skip to main content
Ireland’s climate ambition is shaping real-world investment decisions, with the island nation setting a bold target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 (vs 2018 levels) and to reach net zero by 2050. Sectoral ceilings add focus: industry is expected to reduce emissions by 35% by 2030, reinforcing the direction of travel for large energy users across pharma, medtech and advanced manufacturing.
Significantly, the national picture is now showing measurable momentum. The latest greenhouse gas report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that Ireland recorded a third consecutive year of reductions in total emissions in 2024, aided by a considerable 8.9% decline in energy sectors. While more remains to be done to achieve the EU and national climate commitments, this progress matters to multinationals. It signals a policy and infrastructure environment increasingly aligned with operational decarbonisation, where projects like electrification, heat recovery, onsite renewables, and circularity upgrades move from “pilot” to “programme”.
And the shift is echoed in the wider business community. In EY Ireland’s State of Sustainability 2025 survey of 200 sustainability leaders, 73% of organisations say sustainability is embedded in business priority setting, while 69% use ESG factors to assess performance. Crucially, more firms are assigning responsibility for sustainability to senior leadership, with 62% placing it at C-suite level.
Common project types include:
Eli Lilly: In Kinsale, Eli Lilly’s ground-mounted solar project produces up to 5.6MW of power, enabling the US pharma giant to cut its annual carbon footprint at the site by 2,350 tonnes, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by nearly 5,000 acres of forest. Unveiled in 2021, its now 26-acre solar farm generates a significant proportion of the Kinsale manufacturing facility’s electricity from renewable energy sources.
Lilly, which employs over 3,500 people across Ireland, has also announced an expansion of its Limerick manufacturing site to increase production of biologic active ingredients for its portfolio of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Expected to become operational in 2026, the Limerick site will operate with 35% lower energy intensity, use 40% less water, and generate 15% less waste than traditional biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
Zimmer Biotech: The US medical device maker, known for manufacturing joint replacements for knees, hips and shoulders at its Irish sites, produces nearly 8% of its annual energy through 2,400 1MW solar PV panels installed on rooftops at its sites in Shannon and Galway.
Additionally, Zimmer Biotech has operated a zero waste-to-landfill policy since 2014. By investing in digital tools, the company’s paperless shop floor saves 18,355 pages per day, or more than 6,600,000 pages every year. That’s equivalent to more than 2,000 trees and marks a major step towards a more digitally enabled manufacturing environment, which has traditionally relied heavily on physical documentation.
Astellas: The Japanese drugmaker has achieved a 95% reduction in CO2 emissions in Kerry since 2005, with 64% on-site renewable generation from solar (electric and thermal), wind energy, and biomass using waste wood from the forestry industry within 50km of the plant. Astellas’ Kerry site also features 20 charging points for electric cars and has lowered its energy use through optimal building fabric installation and HVAC design.
Merck: In 2025, the German life sciences firm opened its new €150 million filtration manufacturing facility at Blarney Business Park, Co. Cork. It is Merck's first manufacturing facility designed for full climate-neutral operations, powered entirely by renewable electricity. It also utilises an innovative heat recovery system expected to avoid up to 61 metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually. It is designed to reuse up to 95% of high-purity water generated during its manufacturing processes.
Statkraft: The Norwegian energy company, which employs nearly 150 people across offices in Cork and Tullamore, operates renewable energy projects across the technologies of onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, battery storage and grid services. Statkraft, the largest producer of renewable energy in Europe, said it managed over 1.5 million MW of renewable energy in 2025 alone, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of almost 200,000 cars.
There are a host of financial support for initiatives ranging from developing climate action plans to decarbonisation projects, and for developing next-generation green economy technologies. In addition, feasibility and research grants, along with incentives for R&D activity, help companies accelerate innovation and implementation.
IDA Ireland also has a dedicated interdisciplinary sustainability team working closely with clients to overcome challenges, move at pace and support investments that deliver measurable impact.
In parallel, IDA Ireland has partnered with Skillnet Ireland to roll out a Sustainability Leaders Programme aimed at supporting client companies to develop and implement climate-positive and carbon reduction measures. The programme will significantly benefit those responsible for the sustainability management in their company.
This is also crucial as Irish businesses are now required to comply with the European Union’s sustainability regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which mandate corporate accountability.
Essential related reads:
Decarbonisation is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through cleaner energy, efficiency and redesign of processes.
What is decarbonisation strategy in Ireland?
Ireland’s decarbonisation strategy centres on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 (vs 2018 levels) and reaching net zero by 2050, delivered through sectoral emissions ceilings, expansion of renewable energy, electrification of heat and transport, energy efficiency, industrial innovation and strengthened climate governance.
Why is decarbonisation accelerating in Ireland?
Decarbonisation is being driven by national targets, sectoral ceilings and the operational benefits of lower energy risk.
What are multinationals doing first for decarbonisation?
Decarbonisation typically starts with measurable projects: onsite renewables, electrification, efficiency upgrades and better emissions data.
How is IDA Ireland supporting decarbonisation?
IDA provides grants and supports from climate action planning through to decarbonisation projects, feasibility/research supports and wider incentives. https://www.idaireland.com/latest-news/insights/sustainability-and-finance
Significantly, the national picture is now showing measurable momentum. The latest greenhouse gas report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that Ireland recorded a third consecutive year of reductions in total emissions in 2024, aided by a considerable 8.9% decline in energy sectors. While more remains to be done to achieve the EU and national climate commitments, this progress matters to multinationals. It signals a policy and infrastructure environment increasingly aligned with operational decarbonisation, where projects like electrification, heat recovery, onsite renewables, and circularity upgrades move from “pilot” to “programme”.
And the shift is echoed in the wider business community. In EY Ireland’s State of Sustainability 2025 survey of 200 sustainability leaders, 73% of organisations say sustainability is embedded in business priority setting, while 69% use ESG factors to assess performance. Crucially, more firms are assigning responsibility for sustainability to senior leadership, with 62% placing it at C-suite level.
From pledges to projects: What decarbonisation looks like on Irish sites
Across Ireland, decarbonisation projects are no longer limited to pilot schemes, with multinationals rolling out repeatable playbooks and measuring outcomes across energy, heat, materials and operations.Common project types include:
- Onsite renewable generation (rooftop and ground-mounted solar where feasible)
- Electrification and optimisation of process energy and building systems
- Heat recovery and water reuse to reduce both emissions and resource intensity
- Digital systems that make energy and emissions performance auditable
- Circularity measures (waste reduction, reuse, and process redesign)
Case studies: When renewables become part of core operations
A defining feature of the current decarbonisation wave is the scale of renewables being deployed across industrial footprints.Eli Lilly: In Kinsale, Eli Lilly’s ground-mounted solar project produces up to 5.6MW of power, enabling the US pharma giant to cut its annual carbon footprint at the site by 2,350 tonnes, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by nearly 5,000 acres of forest. Unveiled in 2021, its now 26-acre solar farm generates a significant proportion of the Kinsale manufacturing facility’s electricity from renewable energy sources.
Lilly, which employs over 3,500 people across Ireland, has also announced an expansion of its Limerick manufacturing site to increase production of biologic active ingredients for its portfolio of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Expected to become operational in 2026, the Limerick site will operate with 35% lower energy intensity, use 40% less water, and generate 15% less waste than traditional biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
Zimmer Biotech: The US medical device maker, known for manufacturing joint replacements for knees, hips and shoulders at its Irish sites, produces nearly 8% of its annual energy through 2,400 1MW solar PV panels installed on rooftops at its sites in Shannon and Galway.
Additionally, Zimmer Biotech has operated a zero waste-to-landfill policy since 2014. By investing in digital tools, the company’s paperless shop floor saves 18,355 pages per day, or more than 6,600,000 pages every year. That’s equivalent to more than 2,000 trees and marks a major step towards a more digitally enabled manufacturing environment, which has traditionally relied heavily on physical documentation.
Astellas: The Japanese drugmaker has achieved a 95% reduction in CO2 emissions in Kerry since 2005, with 64% on-site renewable generation from solar (electric and thermal), wind energy, and biomass using waste wood from the forestry industry within 50km of the plant. Astellas’ Kerry site also features 20 charging points for electric cars and has lowered its energy use through optimal building fabric installation and HVAC design.
Merck: In 2025, the German life sciences firm opened its new €150 million filtration manufacturing facility at Blarney Business Park, Co. Cork. It is Merck's first manufacturing facility designed for full climate-neutral operations, powered entirely by renewable electricity. It also utilises an innovative heat recovery system expected to avoid up to 61 metric tons of CO2 equivalents annually. It is designed to reuse up to 95% of high-purity water generated during its manufacturing processes.
Statkraft: The Norwegian energy company, which employs nearly 150 people across offices in Cork and Tullamore, operates renewable energy projects across the technologies of onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, battery storage and grid services. Statkraft, the largest producer of renewable energy in Europe, said it managed over 1.5 million MW of renewable energy in 2025 alone, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of almost 200,000 cars.
Helping hand: IDA's role in backing decarbonisation efforts
IDA Ireland supports clients’ sustainability efforts through a suite of grants for suitable projects. This assumes significance given that 70% of IDA's top 100 clients have made net zero pledges, with 15 of the top 40 clients achieving A ratings on sustainability.There are a host of financial support for initiatives ranging from developing climate action plans to decarbonisation projects, and for developing next-generation green economy technologies. In addition, feasibility and research grants, along with incentives for R&D activity, help companies accelerate innovation and implementation.
IDA Ireland also has a dedicated interdisciplinary sustainability team working closely with clients to overcome challenges, move at pace and support investments that deliver measurable impact.
In parallel, IDA Ireland has partnered with Skillnet Ireland to roll out a Sustainability Leaders Programme aimed at supporting client companies to develop and implement climate-positive and carbon reduction measures. The programme will significantly benefit those responsible for the sustainability management in their company.
This is also crucial as Irish businesses are now required to comply with the European Union’s sustainability regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which mandate corporate accountability.
Essential related reads:
- How IDA Ireland supports companies’ carbon reporting journey
- Enabling transformative change: how Ireland fosters sustainable FDI
- Sustainability and Finance: How Ireland meets the industry’s emerging skills need
FAQs: Decarbonisation in Ireland
What is decarbonisation?Decarbonisation is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through cleaner energy, efficiency and redesign of processes.
What is decarbonisation strategy in Ireland?
Ireland’s decarbonisation strategy centres on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 (vs 2018 levels) and reaching net zero by 2050, delivered through sectoral emissions ceilings, expansion of renewable energy, electrification of heat and transport, energy efficiency, industrial innovation and strengthened climate governance.
Why is decarbonisation accelerating in Ireland?
Decarbonisation is being driven by national targets, sectoral ceilings and the operational benefits of lower energy risk.
What are multinationals doing first for decarbonisation?
Decarbonisation typically starts with measurable projects: onsite renewables, electrification, efficiency upgrades and better emissions data.
How is IDA Ireland supporting decarbonisation?
IDA provides grants and supports from climate action planning through to decarbonisation projects, feasibility/research supports and wider incentives. https://www.idaireland.com/latest-news/insights/sustainability-and-finance
