Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their informative opening statements and also the supplementary material that was circulated. I have two questions for EirGrid. Mr. Foley referred to a renewables target of 80% and EirGrid's Shaping our Electricity Future strategy. It has a figure for onshore wind to be connected by 2030 of 1,300 MW. On the basis of that figure, presumably the grid reinforcements outlined in the strategy were then identified. Where did that figure come from? It is different from the target in the climate action plan of around 4,000 MW of onshore wind by 2030. Industry figures indicate that between 600 MW and 700 MW of onshore wind are currently under construction and more than 1,000 MW are expected to compete for a RESS contract in the auction in May, with well in excess of a further 1,000 MW in the planning system. Is it possible that EirGrid has drastically underestimated the likely volumes of onshore wind energy that will connect this decade and, in doing so, is it failing to propose the grid reinforcements that are necessary for those projects to come on stream? That leads to increased prices for customers and high constraints. Will EirGrid amend its strategy to incorporate the additional onshore wind and solar between now and 2030?

On security of supply and the recommendations that are being acting on in the CRU, what analysis, if any, has been undertaken on zero carbon technology, such as energy storage, that could replace a significant proportion of that 2,000 MW? Has EirGrid looked at the alternatives on the table to replace some of that 2,000 MW?

For the other organisations, how many meetings, if any, have they had with the Department on the new demand-side strategy?