Mr. Martin Finucane:

The figure of 3.5 gigawatts targeted for offshore renewables will play a critical role in reaching our 70% decarbonisation target for renewable electricity. There will be a major concentrated push at the centre of government to ensure it is delivered. I do not think there is any plan B that would put it back on onshore communities. Seven or eight member states have shown that it is possible to develop offshore wind farms. There is no valid reason, in the coming decade, we cannot proceed with that level of growth. It is something we are confident we can do.

The Deputy asked about demand targets. He is correct in saying there is growth in demand forecast from economic factors such as data centres but also from demographics. The Project 2040 demographic growth projections show that there will be an extra 1 million people, more or less, by 2040. Several factors are pushing growth in electricity deman. Certainly, it has been built into our calculations. We are looking at demand.

The Deputy asked about data centres. They also provide a valuable service. They constitute a baseload requirement for electricity at night-time. It is typically at night-time that much of our wind energy is produced and we have challenges in curtailing and constraining it. The data centres provide a valuable service in balancing demand. The challenge for us in taking on big amounts in terms of intermittency is really at evening peak time. It is in the three hours between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.that the demand for electricity is at its highest. That is when the challenge presents. There are pluses, as well as minuses.