Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State says that we have a well-balanced fuel mix in terms of our energy supply. I would disagree with that. Our total renewable energy focus is on onshore wind. At the time the plan was developed, back in 2007 or so, wind was probably the only viable technology, but technology has moved on. Biomass has huge potential for meeting our renewable energy targets as well as for the creation of sustainable and renewable industry in rural Ireland. Ireland could be a leader in producing and delivering biomass.

The Minister of State says we have the lowest level of monetary support in the EU, but the investment of over €4.2 billion in upgrading the electricity infrastructure that is anticipated through Airtricity - solely to accommodate industrial wind farms - means that situation will change very quickly. We are already subventing wind farm operators by €90 million per year, while for a fraction of that investment we could generate a wood biomass industry. Simply converting Moneypoint to run off wood biomass would cost about €400 million per year but would meet our Kyoto and carbon dioxide reduction targets in one go. We need to look at this and we need a moratorium on onshore wind farms while we develop other alternatives.

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