Results 1-20 of 44 for solar power speaker:Denis Naughten

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: Solar power has a role to play. I had the piece on solar power written into the programme for Government. Anyone who claims I am not positively disposed towards this form of energy is wrong. Nevertheless, I will not have a scenario in which farmers are tied into contracts which bind them to solar power companies for five years when, in real terms, the chances of the project getting off the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I will conclude by citing a number of figures. The applications to provide solar power would deliver 3.9 GW of solar power to the grid. National demand for electricity in summer stands at 3.6 GW, while total national demand in winter is 4.5 GW. This means applications to provide solar energy almost match total energy demand, which is not realistic.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (9 May 2017)

Denis Naughten: I am not questioning what the Deputy said. However, an agenda is being spun on this issue. I stated that the applications submitted to provide solar power would provide power far in excess of the country's energy needs. Farmers are signing contracts with solar power companies and there is panic among members of the farming community about the scale involved. Farmers are concerned that it...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (14 Jul 2016)

Denis Naughten: I understand the point being made by Deputy Stanley. As he is aware, a large part of the fossil fuel PSO is close to my heart, namely, peat fired energy generation in our three midland power stations. In fairness, I believe it is only because a predecessor of mine, Mary O'Rourke, happened to be in this job, we would not have those three peat fired power stations in the State. The intention...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: The new support scheme should be far broader than schemes up to now. Up to now the focus has been on onshore wind. There is an opportunity now to expand and look at both domestic and large scale solar, hydro, biomass, offshore wind energy and micro-generation. Micro-generation has to be part of that mix. I cannot give the Deputy a commitment on any specific project. There are a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Projects (7 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: Grants or grant aid are not provided for the construction of wind or solar farms on (private) property. The convention to date is that the Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff (REFIT) schemes support the development of a range of renewable electricity technologies including hydro, biomass combustion, biomass combined heat and power, landfill gas and onshore wind.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Apr 2017)

Denis Naughten: ...in meeting its renewable energy contributions out to 2030. Analysis is on-going on the types of technologies to be included such as biomass, offshore and onshore wind, waste, and combined heat and power. This analysis also includes an assessment of the cost of supporting Solar Photovoltaics (PV) - both rooftop and ground-mounted. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: ...in meeting its renewable energy contributions out to 2030. Analysis is ongoing of the types of technologies to be included such as biomass, offshore and onshore wind, waste, and combined heat and power. This analysis also includes an assessment of the cost of supporting solar PV, both rooftop and ground-mounted. The programme for a partnership Government contains a commitment to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (25 Apr 2018)

Denis Naughten: Yes. Microgeneration, rooftop, SME and ground-mounted solar power will form part of the energy mix over the next decade. To be honest, though, I suspect that the heavy lifting will be done offshore. This country's potential, in particular off the coast of Deputy Dooley's constituency, is significant. We need to develop that resource. We are on the cutting edge of research in that regard...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (22 Nov 2017)

Denis Naughten: ...and exported onto the national grid. Renewable technologies supported under the REFIT schemes include onshore wind, hydro, biomass landfill gas, biomass combustion, biomass combined heat and power (CHP) and anaerobic digestion CHP. At present, neither ocean energy technologies nor solar photovoltaic (Solar PV), for electricity generation, are supported under any of these REFIT...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: ...The Deputy and his colleagues have been very critical of me in the past because of the cost of the public service obligation, PSO, levy. In approving the new technologies, be they offshore wind, solar or other technologies, the funds will come from consumers' pockets. We must be conscious of this. The difficulty is that there are enough applications within the system for solar...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: ...this in mind, my Department is working on the development of a new renewable electricity support scheme, RESS.  As part of this process, a range of renewable energy technologies will be being assessed, including solar photovoltaics, PV, and offshore wind power technology. It is widely recognised that solar PV technology is becoming cost competitive for electricity generation, not...

Other Questions: Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff Scheme (6 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: ...forward the scheme as quickly as I can, but my immediate priority is the renewable heat incentive scheme. We have not been sitting on our laurels. We have been engaged with the Commission on solar costs and it has indicated that import levies on solar panels are likely to be lifted. One of the first things I did as Minister was to sign the North Sea agreement with all of the countries...

Other Questions: Climate Change Policy (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: To respond to Deputy Pringle's question, while I am very open to constructive suggestions, I am not open to the suggestion that we close down the three peat fired power stations tomorrow and have all the seasonal workers who are driving tractors become electricians and retrofit houses in Dublin. This is the type of solution that is being put forward. What we need are practical solutions and...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (8 Dec 2016)

Denis Naughten: ...was only one solution to the provision of renewable energy, namely, large-scale wind farms in the midlands. I want a complete review of our renewable energy policy. Onshore and offshore wind and solar energy are part of that - I never said solar was not - but I would be disingenuous if I told the farmers of this country that I will allow consumers to fund 5 GW of solar energy. To put...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Oct 2016)

Denis Naughten: ...the end of this year, which will create demand for bio-energy crops in this country and will build up the capacity needed to convert these peat-fired stations from peat to biomass. The installation of solar panels across the midlands will not create jobs. We need to put in place a sustainable plan that benefits the local communities involved. It needs to be accepted that this is about...

Other Questions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Oct 2016)

Denis Naughten: Theory is one thing, practice is another. To put things in perspective, there are 1,443 jobs in the midlands associated with Bord na Móna and the three peat-fired power stations in Lanesboro, Shannonbridge and Edenderry. The Edenderry plant is the first to come before the planning process. There are many families who are reliant on employment in the three plants involved. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bord na Móna (10 Jul 2018)

Denis Naughten: Bord na Móna operates as a diversified utility operating in multiple sectors, including power generation, bioenergy, resource recovery, horticulture and fuels. The dual imperatives to finish energy peat production and contribute to economy-wide decarbonisation have had a major impact on the company’s business model and have become the primary drivers of Bord na Móna’s...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (21 Mar 2017)

Denis Naughten: ...will be funded through the public service obligation so we have to be cognisant of the impact that will have on both commercial and domestic electricity bills. If we were to approve every single solar application in the country, it would have a dramatic impact on the cost of electricity. It would significantly increase the cost of electricity in this country. We are trying to get...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Wind Energy Generation (8 Nov 2016)

Denis Naughten: ...target remains challenging. The Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff schemes support the development of a range of renewable electricity technologies including hydro, biomass combustion, biomass combined heat and power, landfill gas and onshore wind. Figures provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for 2015  indicate that 9.1% of the overall 16% target was...