Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The 2009 renewable energy directive set Ireland a binding target where at least 16% of our energy requirements should come from renewable sources by 2020. The directive also requires all member states to achieve a minimum target of 10% renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020. In order to meet our overall 16% requirement, we aim to achieve 40% in the renewable electricity sector, 12% renewables in the heating sector and the required 10% in transport. Under the directive, Ireland was required to set out in a national renewable energy action plan, NREAP, the trajectory towards meeting its legally binding targets. The NREAP and the first progress report on the NREAP, which are available on my Department’s website, show the sectoral and technology breakdown that we anticipate in the achievement of our target. By the end of 2011, we had reached 6.4% of overall energy consumption from renewable sources and the trajectory set out in the NREAP assumes that we will achieve the 16% target incrementally at approximately 1% per annum.

My Department’s Strategy for Renewable Energy 2012 to 2020, sets out the key strategic goals for the various renewable energy sectors. Although these targets are challenging, I am confident that we can meet them and there are a number of policy measures in place which will help us achieve these goals. The renewable energy feed-in tariff, REFIT, schemes will see increasing amounts of renewable electricity connected to the grid and, through REFIT3 support for biomass combined heat and power technologies, will also help towards our renewable heat target. Measures such as the biofuel obligation scheme to increase the use of biofuels, and the electric vehicle grant scheme to incentivise the purchase of new electric vehicles will assist in meeting the target for renewable transport.

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