Mr. John Walsh:

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak about this. It is very close to our hearts in Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann. We believe the islands will be excellent test beds for energy. We are now on the second clean energy for EU islands team. The first team ran its three-year contract and there is now a new team. We did a lot of work with the team on the first round. On the west Cork islands we had a number of webinars in 2020 to get the seven west Cork islands to work together. We are working on this at present. It brought a partnership together and a focus on the islands. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland worked with us as did the energy staff of Cork County Council. There was also the clean energy for EU islands initiative. When the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland or the council sees a European partner involved, such as clean energy for EU islands, it is easier for them to step up.

Søren Hermansen is the manager of Samsø Energy Academy on Samsø Island in Denmark. This island is seen as the energy island of Europe. Søren Hermansen is seen as one of the leading advocates for renewable energy in the world. He has said that while in the past making islands sustainable was viewed as a good thing, it is now an imperative. The cost of energy is soaring as we all know. We have to bring this to islands. We work with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on the technology. It is a great organisation to work with. It has fabulous people who know what they are doing. We did an energy management plan and we were supported by an energy mentor to do so.

On the EU side, we applied to the clean energy for EU islands secretariat. Instead of a cash payment it provides experts in procurement and various technologies. The first thing we have looked at is houses. We did a range of BER studies on houses on the island in recent months. We are taking the information we got from this to retrofit houses. The grants have come at the right time. To make it justifiable on islands, we need that extra bit to make it work.

We have a dry dock on Bere Island that takes in boats up to 50 m for maintenance and painting. It has come on board with us as a partner. It involves the entire community between local authorities, energy and the business community. UCC is also involved, as is the clean energy for EU islands initiative. We need this mix working on the islands. It is not something one organisation can do on its own. The dry dock is looking at a combined heat and power plant. It has put 15 MW of solar on the roof and it will do more of this.

We are also looking at wind and technology whereby heat can be taken from the sea through a heat pump. These are the technologies we are looking at. There is talk of electricity cut-outs over time. We are looking at microgrids. It was great to get the support of Samsø Energy Academy. It has done studies on microgrids. There are microgrids on the marina on Samsø of a type that suit a small island having its own grid.

I agree with the Chair that we should not always be looking at bringing in power. We should also be looking at sending power out. The cable system going to the islands is out of date. It has to be upgraded if we are to be allowed to produce power and sell it the communities. I visited the Orkneys and islands in Denmark and Sweden that sell power. There is one community in the Orkneys that sells power and the revenue pays for an out-of-hours ferry service and various projects on the island for community and leisure facilities. It is a great way to sustain the islands. If there are any questions I would be delighted to answer them.