Mr. Kevin O'Donovan:

I will deal with the question of onshore versus offshore turbines. The offshore wind turbines are more expensive and are more technically challenging. They are located at sea and it is significantly more expensive to install the foundations as well as getting the cabling out to them. There is also the challenge of operating in a harsh environment. Onshore turbines are far more competitive than offshore turbines in terms of the cost per MWh of energy. The opportunity for onshore wind turbines in Ireland is the ability to deliver power at a competitive price.

In response to the question on the lower wind speeds in the midlands, there has been significant advances in turbine technology in the past decade to the point that turbines in lower wind speed environments can produce quite high capacity factors and be very efficient. That is achieved by having a larger graded turbine in that environment.

As part of the compliance with planning permission, it is normal practice to put in place a decommissioning bond for the removal of the turbines and the restoration of the land. It is standard practice that an actual decommissioning plan would form part of the agreement with the planning authority of the county council. Both a decommissioning bond and a plan for decommissioning are put in place before the project is started to ensure that when it comes time to decommission the wind farm, it can be done as per the plan and the secure bond will cover the cost of it. Obviously, the turbines must be maintained and there are jobs in maintenance and ensuring that the turbines operate within their operating parameters. They have the capacity to operate in different environments, such as very cold to very warm weather, but there is a requirement for engineers and technicians to be able to operate and maintain the turbines.

The technology has evolved so that larger bladed machines are considered more efficient in lower wind speed areas. Our experience throughout Ireland is that we conduct an assessment on a site by site basis as to the most suitable locations for turbines and the most appropriate turbines for that location. That is part of the planning guidelines and feedback from the local authority on a particular site. A key part of our role is to work with each of the five planning authorities in the midlands local authorities as well as complying with the planning guidelines. The planning guidelines are being assessed and updated at present and, of course, we will comply with the guidelines when the project goes through the planning process.