Results 29,081-29,100 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: Overall energy related CO2 emissions, including domestic and international aviation, increased by 0.4% in 2006, resulting from a 0.9% increase in overall energy demand while the economy grew by 5.7%. This compares with a 5.1% increase in energy related emissions in 2005 and a 4.2% increase in demand. On a Kyoto Protocol basis, excluding international aviation, a reduction in energy related...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I am grateful to the Deputy for informing me of the support schemes for Christmas lighting in Irish. Eirgrid has set out the increases in electricity that arise at this time of year from Christmas lighting. We will see many opportunities and technological developments which will provide certain solutions. For example, with LED lighting we can achieve light with a much lower energy...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I assure the Deputy that the meetings that occur outside the Cabinet in preparation for Cabinet sub-committee meetings are ongoing. The delivery of the carbon budget, the first one in any country in the world, took an extensive amount of preparation but we are only at the start. It will require cross-Government, cross-Department involvement in a common goal, which is to reduce CO2...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: In March 2002 the Government gave approval for the design and construction of fibre optic metropolitan area networks, MANs, using Government and ERDF funding under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Phase One of this programme has delivered fibre optic networks to 27 towns and cities throughout the country, which were built on time and under budget. ENet the management services...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: To say DSL technology is old hat may not be completely accurate. There are evolutions in the DSL technology, the latest version being VDSL, which is a much higher speed, something like the 12 megabyte I mentioned earlier. This is an ongoing variation in terms of what is possible and there will be further variations as we move to next generation broadband networks where fibre optic cables...

Telecommunications Services. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy's point is a good one. This is why a value-for-money report is ongoing in my Department to assess the difficulties as we roll out MANs in terms of backhaul connection but also in terms of what is known as the drop connection to get from the fibre optic ring to the business. The Deputy is correct that once a roadway must be dug up to install such a connection, the costs can be of...

Research Funding. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The main focus of expenditure to date in the energy RTDI programme has been the Charles Parsons awards. At the end of 2006, €7.9 million was paid out under the awards to the recipient projects for 2007, 2008 and 2009. The next tranche of funds under the Charles Parsons awards falls due in 2010. Payment will be dependent on the fulfilment of all conditions in the respective contracts with...

Research Funding. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy is correct in that there was a significant change in the programme for Government so that Science Foundation Ireland is due to take a much larger role and to build capability in the basic energy research area. There are additional new areas where I want to see research, perhaps not at a commercial level, as that would be more a matter for Enterprise Ireland, but at a level above...

Electricity Grid. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: A critical task for EirGrid, as the independent transmission system operator, is the provision of an annual winter outlook report. The report provides each year an analysis and prognosis of national electricity generation capacity to meet expected demand over the peak winter months. The 2007 winter outlook report was published by EirGrid last August. Based on its analysis and on detailed...

Electricity Grid. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I can update the House on some further information which I only received late this afternoon concerning winter demand. The demand peaked yesterday at 5,077 MW, which is expected to be the demand peak. They can be fairly accurate on measuring this because as the holiday season comes in there is a natural reduction.

Electricity Grid. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The figure is an interesting one in that the earlier projection was that this year's peak would be 5,250 MW, so it is quite significantly below that. It represents a demand growth of less than 1%, which is encouraging. I agree with the Deputy's comments on the problems of forced outages we have had with older generation plant. One of the ways in which we can manage through a tight...

Electricity Grid. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: ——and locations will require a good network connection to ensure that they have electricity in any given system. There are difficulties for industries locating in the north-west because we do not have a very strong grid. Much of the reason for the development of this grid is to develop renewables North-South as well as providing a better balanced and more robust system, so that if there...

Electricity Grid. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: We have been examining the issue of an east-west interconnector for a long time, but it has been stuck in the planning process. We are now moving away from that process into the contracting process. I am confident that EirGrid will deliver that interconnector on time, under budget, and in a manner that is of long-term benefit to the State. Many of the complicated issues surrounding it are...

Electricity Grid. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: My concentration is firmly set on delivering that east-west interconnector with EirGrid. Further interconnections may well be developed down the line but my job is to help deliver that one and I am confident we can do so. It will be kept within State ownership and will be run on a flexible system that allows us to export and import as is appropriate for the market. That is the key...

Alternative Energy Projects. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The energy policy framework and the Programme for Government have set renewable energy targets for the electricity, heat and transport sectors. In addition to contributing to fuel diversity and sustainability, these targets are critical to national, EU and Kyoto greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. We have set a target of 15% of electricity consumption to be generated from renewable...

Alternative Energy Projects. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I wish the Deputy a happy Christmas and a happy new year. With regard to energy efficiency gains in the buildings area, it is the most beneficial, according to cost benefit analyses. It provides the clearest gain, particularly in the context of heating, because demand is consistent and it can be quantified on a building by building basis and reductions achieved. Although capital costs are...

Alternative Energy Projects. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Government is giving major priority to investment in research technology development and innovation in ocean energy. Realising our wave and tidal energy potential is of strategic importance in support of our renewable energy targets, security of supply and carbon emission reductions. It also has significant overall enterprise development potential, in terms of innovation and economic...

Alternative Energy Projects. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy there is undoubted potential in this area to develop resources. The tidal potential is more localised. Wave power comes in along the Atlantic coast and elsewhere but tidal resources are more site specific and include areas that experience high tide speeds. This raises issues regarding the technology used and whether a tidal barge, which traverses an estuary, should...

Alternative Energy Projects. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: No. We must keep our options open and monitor which technologies succeed. If we knew which technology would have the best commercial application, it would be an easy business, but no one knows that. We must support a wide variety of technologies, including wave, tidal and offshore wind, to ensure there is a connection with the ocean sector, through grid connections, and not to...

Alternative Energy Projects. (19 Dec 2007)

Eamon Ryan: The Deputy has my assurance in that regard. Within wider Government circles, including in the Department of Finance and elsewhere, it is recognised that this is an area where potential exists. The scale of it is far from certain but we should not avoid the opportunity it presents. I said a number of times today that we will develop policies or schemes early in the new year and I hope to be...