Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he will make a decision on future support mechanisms for renewable energy generators. [8280/05]

Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the progress made by the renewable energy development group which is chaired by his Department; if he has received a report from the group; his intentions arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8347/05]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his targets to achieve less dependency on fossil fuels and the development of alternative energy sources; his plans to offer incentives in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8342/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the role he believes that wind energy can play in meeting energy requirements in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8211/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to support or encourage the production of alternative energy with particular reference to wind energy; if he has given any direction in this regard or intends to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8517/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 21, 49, 62 and 110 together.

The alternative energy requirement programme, AER, was introduced in the mid-1990s to support the construction of new renewable energy based electricity generating stations. The most recent round of competitive tendering, AER VI, is an appropriate opportunity to review the programme and explore new targets and alternative support mechanisms. To gauge market views on the most appropriate future policy initiatives, my Department conducted a public consultation process on future development of renewable energy which attracted 47 responses last year. This process was succeeded by the establishment of a renewable energy development group in May last year.

The group is chaired by my Department and comprises relevant experts from the administrative, industry and scientific sector, including the Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, Sustainable Energy Ireland, SEI, ESB national grid and the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, among others. The group is at the end of its current work phase and its report is expected to be ready shortly. I cannot make predictions on the role of wind energy or any other renewable energy technology until the group's report is to hand.

The work of the group has been informed by the renewable energy consultation process and the submissions made in response to our consultation document. Other inputs to the group came from direct presentations to the group from industry representatives and their associations; analysis conducted by subgroups of the group itself; the work of the CHP strategy group and the bioenergy strategy group.

It is important to optimise the contribution of renewable energy technologies, including wind energy, to electricity production on a basis that is fair to all parties, including consumers, and to ensure that it can be integrated safely and easily into the national network. The renewable energy development group will advise on future options on policies, targets, programmes and support measures to develop the increased use of renewable energy in the electricity market to 2010 and beyond.

The group's report, which is due shortly, will form the basis of my future policy decisions on the increased penetration of renewable energy technologies in the electricity market and will seek to ensure that developers can make a reasonable rate of return on renewable energy projects while ensuring that the interests of national competitiveness and the ultimate burden of cost to the final consumer are all fully taken into consideration.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he has evaluated or compared the wind energy potential here with Scandinavian countries; if he intends to issue directives in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8364/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I have not evaluated or compared the wind energy potential here with Scandinavian countries. The question of issuing directives on this matter does not arise.

I draw attention to one significant difference, namely, that we are dealing with an island system whereas the Scandinavian countries are heavily interconnected. In 1997, a study was conducted on the total renewable energy resource available in Ireland under various assumptions. The net finding was that in the wind energy category there is an abundant resource. However, the challenge in harnessing wind energy in the short term for electricity production is to do so in a manner which integrates the technology into the national network without compromising continuity of supply to domestic and commercial consumers.

Subsequent to this initial resource audit, the Commission for Energy Regulation commissioned a consortium, led by Garrad Hassan Wind Energy Consultants, to carry out a study entitled, "The Impacts of Increased Levels of Wind Penetration on the Electricity Systems of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland". This study was completed in February 2003. The report found that the amounts of wind generation which could be accepted at selected 110 kV transmission system grid supply points without substantial reinforcements and, importantly, without curtailment of wind production but with substantive changes to current system planning criteria were: 790 MW by the year 2005; 1040 MW by the year 2007; 1140 MW by the year 2010.

The need to examine these constraints arises from the random nature of the wind resource which cannot be increased or decreased as an energy source for electricity production in immediate response to changes in consumer demand. The current target for wind powered projects does not raise serious technical issues for system stability. However, planning for future programmes at increased penetration levels of wind powered electricity generating plant does raise significant technical issues which must be addressed in order to maintain system security for electricity consumers.

The Commission for Energy Regulation, which is independent in the discharge of its functions, is examining issues of continuing relevance regarding the grid code for wind powered generators. I have no function in national grid matters, which is primarily a matter for the network operators which in turn are regulated by the Commission for Energy Regulation. From my point of view, it is important to optimise the contribution of wind energy based electricity to the national supply on a basis that is fair to all parties, including consumers, and that it can be integrated safely and easily into the national network. I am confident that the current work of my Department, the Commission for Energy Regulation, Sustainable Energy Ireland and representative associations of the wind energy sector will ensure future challenging targets can be delivered.