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

He specified the context.We need more dispatchable generation. It is not just for large energy users. As the Senator stated, it is also because the basis of climate action is the electrification of transport and heating systems and that means we need more dispatchable generation. That does not just involve emergency generators; it also involves batteries and interconnection with other countries, as well as more peaking gas power plants. We have clearly stated that we are commissioning 2 GW of gas by 2030 to be used in the exceptional circumstances of when we are out of renewable capacity.

We have not done terribly badly in renewables; rather, it has been mixed. We have done very well on onshore wind, as Senator O’Reilly pointed out but, for some reason, there was a concentration on one form of renewable energy. The solar was not done at the same time and the offshore wind was not done. Those provide a mixture of sources of renewable electricity, which makes for a more resilient grid. We are doing that now but it takes time. The solar is going to happen much faster than the offshore wind. They will provide a more stable system, better security of supply and better national security in the long term.