Mr. Jim Gannon:

My apologies - I mean the generating fleet. I call them generators. There are longer periods where the wind can decline for several days on end and when we do not have too much sunshine between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in particular. It is referred to as kalte Dunkelflauten- I am careful in my pronunciation - in some of the studies that have taken place. We felt one this winter in January and February, so it is something that happens.

What is important to combat that? Interconnectors are important to combat that because we can count on them for more than a six-hour or 12-hour period. We have the existing east-west interconnector and the Moyle interconnector between Northern Ireland and Scotland. The North-South interconnector helps us on the island and contributes to security of supply. There is also the Greenlink interconnector and the Celtic Interconnector to France. This is all important infrastructure. Even when we transition away, natural gas will support us in ensuring security of supply and in exporting excess energy to create national wealth from this natural resource.

Offshore wind has a better capacity factor than onshore wind. In effect, this means that where we might expect onshore turbines to turn for between 30% and 40% of the year, the rate for offshore is far greater than that. It can be in excess of 50%. What is their contribution to security of supply? They tend to blow more and blow more frequently in times of tight wind, if I can put it that way. The fact they are offshore also means that there is a greater spread geographically. This could help us where we see some of the onshore fleet of wind turbines being becalmed at different stages. Offshore can help to mitigate that because it has a greater capacity factor. Again, interconnectors and, increasingly, longer term storage, some of which may be batteries, will certainly help and are important. I would not underestimate the role of the demand side. This is because if demand can reduce between the peak hours of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., it can allow the batteries to recharge and come back on when we need them the next day.

There is a contribution from there with regard to security of supply. I have covered the issue of offshore contribution.

On the final point about the grid and grid connections, industry has responded very well to what we call the ECP process which is the enduring connections policy. This put a new system in place to allow people to apply for connections and for grid connections to be delivered. In parallel to that, the price review process, which sets the revenues for EirGrid and ESB Networks, particular and increased moneys were given to them to facilitate better delivery of the physical infrastructure for these generators and for demand side. Separately, incentives were put in place within those to accelerate the delivery within that process. There is a challenge there and industry will always be impatient for grid connections, but in economic terms and with the system and the process that we can set, we have put that in place.

On our need for gas and a gas diverse supply, I am happy to pass over to my colleague, Dr. Paul McGowan, in the first instance and then perhaps over to Ms Aoife MacEvilly.