Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to bring Ireland into line with best international practice in regard to the provision and encouragement of production of alternative energies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2024/06]

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he proposes to take in the future to encourage the production of alternative fuels including electricity, gas, oil or other means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2055/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 610: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to bring Ireland into line with best international practice in regard to the provision and encouragement of production of alternative energies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1962/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 642: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the steps he proposes to take in the future to encourage the production of alternative fuels including electricity, gas, oil or other means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2005/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 205, 223, 610 and 642 together.

The Renewables Directive (2001/77/EC) obliges Ireland to develop and implement a programme capable of increasing the amount of electricity from renewable energy sources to 13.2% of total consumption by 2010.

The target of 13.2% approximates to 1450 MW of installed generating capacity to be operational to the electricity network by 2010. Currently Ireland has approximately 750 MW of renewable capacity connected. This consists of approximately 490 MWs of wind powered plant, 240 MW of hydro powered plant with the balance — approximately 20 MWs — made up of different biomass technologies.

The additional new capacity required to achieve the 1450 MWs target will be delivered by projects under the previous AER V and AER VI competitions and the new renewable energy feed in tariff, REFIT, programme. The new support programme will move from competitive tendering, AER, to a fixed price based system known as the renewable energy feed in tariff, REFIT. Following a public consultation process which has usefully informed the shape of the new programme, I expect to be in a position to launch the programme shortly.

Following on the success of the pilot biofuels excise relief scheme which was launched last year, a further enhanced package of excise relief valued at €205 million was agreed with the Minister for Finance and announced in the context of budget. The new excise relief programme is to be rolled out from this year to 2010 and will underpin achievement of the target of 2% market penetration of biofuels by 2008. Funding is also being provided towards the capital cost of developing biofuels processing facilities.

In line with the findings of the liquid biofuels strategy study published in 2004, a more detailed study on policy options for development of a biofuels market, including the possibility of a renewables obligation, has recently been commissioned. The study is being overseen by a steering group comprising members of the interdepartmental biofuels group.

In the context of the recent budget I also secured a €65 million multi-annual package to develop a sustained and better focus on renewable energy options for industry and the domestic market. I intend to launch a number of innovative grant schemes under this package as soon as possible. The schemes will relate to biofuels, combined heat and power, biomass commercial heaters and domestic renewable heat grants.