Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I certainly envisage that solar energy will be an important element of our renewables portfolio into the future. In addition to the White Paper, which is the high-level policy document, we are also in a consultation process in respect of a new REFIT regime and looking at appropriate subsidies for technologies such as solar panels so that we can have a mix. Onshore wind energy generation has proved to be very cost-effective, but it is not the whole story concerning renewables. We have to look carefully, clearly and responsibly at all new technologies, some of which are emerging while others are more advanced. Solar is one, absolutely, and it will feature in our future renewable energy policy. In addition, we have taken a lot of interest in research on offshore wind energy and what we can do in the biomass sector also.

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, dealt with the issue of guidelines during Question Time last week. There needs to be community consensus and that will be a chapter in the White Paper, which we are close to finalising and bringing to Government.

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