Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am aware of those kinds of initiatives and would certainly like to support them as best I can. If the Deputy has any additional information that he wants me to have, he should please furnish it to me, and I will certainly consider it.

There is significant scope for district schemes. I have seen evidence of their success in other countries, including in northern Europe. I did not see the schemes in operation but I have read about them and understand them. To date, our progression towards our quite exacting targets – we will receive more tomorrow – has been through onshore wind projects predominantly. I saw Dr. White's article but wind technology has been widely acknowledged so far as the most cost-efficient technology in terms of how the REFIT schemes work and the kinds of interventions that need to occur. This was further supported by an interim report on energy subsidies published by the commission last week. Our current support structures for renewable energy are among the most cost-effective in Europe. I am being absolutely objective in giving the House that information. If we want to shift from that, we need to understand that it is not just a question of abandoning something because we must replace it with something else. Thus far, wind technology appears to have been the most successful, cheap and reliable form of renewable energy production. Let us see what we can achieve.

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