Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. Yes, and we need all three elements. We need large-scale renewables connected to the grid. We need community renewables. We need people to have a sense of ownership and a sense that their community owns the local generation capacity. We also need a situation where people, when they are not at home, can sell their electricity back to the grid when they feel that it makes more sense.

I want to state that the Government is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and an annual reduction of 7% in overall greenhouse gas emissions to 2030, including through maximising the amount of renewable energy on the grid. Future advances in system flexibility, technology, diversity, including solar, onshore and offshore wind, hydro and ocean, microgeneration and storage technologies, as well as regional and international connection, will enable very high levels of renewable electricity on our grid. This is a challenge and at the same time an opportunity for Government agencies, industry and stakeholders to work together to deliver a net zero economy and meet the ambitions set out in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill. The forthcoming climate action Bill later this year will further step up our ambitions with the necessary actions to ensure that the cross-Government effort that is required is being implemented and monitored effectively.