Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I have three primary questions. The first is to build on the point about the massive electrification problem that we have. Notwithstanding that we need to reduce energy consumption, we are electrifying more and more, particularly in housing and transport as well. The professor talked about the need for a new grid and made a very strong case that we need to accept that, get on with it and understand that this is part of the transition. Perhaps somewhat paradoxically, it is the Government's policy that we also need new capacity generation in the system as well. We need new gas generation infrastructure, largely to enable the variable renewables. As we increase our renewables through 50%, 60% and 70%, there will be times when we do not have the variable renewables. Therefore, paradoxically, it actually makes sense on a decarbonisation pathway to invest in some new fossil fuel infrastructure. I would like the professor's comments on that.

To delve into the argument about LNG versus gaseous storage off the Old Head of Kinsale and-or the Islandmagee project in Northern Ireland which the professor mentioned, if the decision is that one of those projects makes more sense from a strategic and security of supply point of view over LNG down in north Kerry, then it is a question of the timescales for delivery of these projects and the cost versus LNG in north Kerry as well. Maybe it is a question for those who are promoting each of those projects. I note the professor's suggestion that the committee might invite the ESB in. It is a very good suggestion. It made a suggestion to the energy security review with respect to the gas field off Kinsale.

The third question relates to the professor's opening statement and the points he made around the exploitation of our own indigenous fossil fuel reserves off the coast. He made the point very strongly that it just does not fit with our Paris goals notwithstanding that there are licences already issued. Perhaps he could speak to that point in the context of energy security. We are increasingly hearing the narrative that security of supply is enhanced by exploiting our own indigenous resources so we are not relying on some third party or some volatile state at the other side of the world for the fossil fuel energy that we do need. Does the professor have anything to say about exploitation of those reserves vis-à-visthe security of supply argument? This is just so we can be armed with something when those arguments come back at us.