Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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7. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the viability and value for money of wind energy as the primary renewable energy being pursued here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40409/14]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I genuinely welcome the Minister's engagement. This is my last shot on the same theme. There are some serious questions to be answered and I would like a little more detail. The Taoiseach was pleading to the European Union for concessions on our targets yesterday because of the difficulties we are having. He states we have a big agriculture sector and refers to other factors. The Minister said that we are not meeting the targets in some areas. Therefore, we must address this. Dr. Anthony White states in his article that our focus on wind energy could be part of the problem. I would like the Minister to revert to me on this. Dr. White points out that carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt from power generation have actually increased since 2009. Therefore, the expansion of wind energy has not contributed significantly to the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. This may explain why we are not doing well in meeting our targets; we are looking in the wrong area.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Onshore wind energy has been the most cost-efficient renewable electricity technology in the Irish market. We have installed wind generation capacity of over 2,200 MW, and provisional 2013 figures indicate that 16.5% of electricity demand was met by wind generation. Detailed analysis by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and EirGrid found that, for 2011, wind generation did not add to consumer prices as it lowered wholesale prices sufficiently to offset the costs of the public service obligation levy, and other associated costs, related to renewable electricity.

The recently published SEAI report on quantifying Ireland’s fuel and carbon dioxide emissions savings from renewable electricity in 2012 found that, as a result of wind generation, almost 600 kilotonnes of oil equivalent of fossil fuels were displaced, valued at €180 million, with a consequent carbon dioxide saving of 1.5 million tonnes, valued at €11 million. Analysis undertaken by my Department, SEAI, EirGrid and the Commission for Energy Regulation assessed the costs and value of choosing the path towards 40% renewable electricity generation in 2020 compared to a scenario where renewable electricity would remain at 2013 levels. This analysis informed a report which is expected to be published shortly.

In addition to wind energy, bioenergy will play a critical role in diversifying our renewable generation portfolio and contributing to our renewable targets. To support the sector, I recently published a draft bioenergy plan, which will be subject to strategic environmental and appropriate assessments. The draft plan addresses the role of biomass in renewable electricity and how biomass is likely to make a more significant contribution in terms of renewable heat and transport.

Over the medium to longer terms, our wave and tidal resources, currently at the research, development and demonstration stage, will make a valuable contribution to renewable electricity. The Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan identifies this opportunity for Ireland and proposes an initial market support scheme, limited to 30 MW, to support the sector's development.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I welcome the consideration of bioenergy and the willingness of the Minister to scrutinise these issues seriously. I have indicated my disposition towards focusing more on district energy and local energy co-operatives using a sustainable mix of energy-production technologies that will be more in tune with community interests and potentially generate local employment. Much of the emphasis has been on industrial wind turbines. How is it that although wind generation has expanded by 40%, it is being claimed that carbon dioxide emissions per kilowatt of power generated have increased? Perhaps the Minister will confirm whether this is true. Might it be because there are hidden environmental costs contributing to carbon dioxide emissions? This is the contention of many of the critics of industrial wind turbines. Are we taking into account the big emission cost of the expansion or beefing up of the transmission network?

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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We are going to need the network. I am not really quite sure why it is being suggested that the expansion of wind energy generation has achieved the opposite to what was intended.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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That is the contention.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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It is hard for me to see how that could be true but I am not going to dismiss any argument on my feet here.

These are the kinds of issues that it would be helpful for the Oireachtas joint committee - it is not my role to say what the Oireachtas joint committee should do - to have witnesses in, for example, Dr. White of the sustainable energy authority and all the others who are involved in this issue, and question and cross-examine them as witnesses, and let us all try to get to the evidence on all of these arguments. If a case is made, if somebody writes an opinion editorial in The Irish Timesone day and there is another the next day that one misses, or someone writes a letter to the newspaper with the opposite argument, it would be better for the committee to pull together systematically all of the arguments being made, perhaps cross-examine the witnesses in that way and see where we go.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I agree with the Minister. That is exactly what we need to do. Unfortunately, I am not on that committee. I wish I was, but I am on two committees already. However, I will sit in.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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One cannot be on every committee.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Boyd Barrett is not doing too bad this morning.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I have an interest in this area.

What the Minister suggests is fair enough. Let us look at it honestly and let us get all the different opinions in and give them a chance to put forward their views. Many of them feel they are not being fully listened to and that a particular lobby that has had all the hearing is getting all the support and resources, which is not necessarily the most useful cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way to develop renewable energy, and that must be addressed if we are to move this matter forward.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I again draw the attention of the Deputy and the House to the Green Paper-White Paper process and the six months or so between now and the summer that I indicated where there should be no excuse for any of these arguments not being considered and scrutinised, and the opportunity that then presents to us, not only the Government but the country and Parliament, to put in place the best possible energy policy for future generations. That is what we should use this process for.

I appeal to Deputy Boyd Barrett, the Opposition spokespersons and all Members of this and the other House to participate in this process, whether through the committee or directly in the consultation process that arises from the Green Paper. We will publish this definitive strategy next summer. Let us all get involved in it.