Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for Bord na Móna and in particular its role in the growth of energy crops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23123/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Government's objective for Bord na Móna is to ensure the long-term viability of the company having regard to the finite nature of its existing businesses. It was clear in 2005 that new strategic directions were needed to ensure a sustainable future for the company.

With Government approval, Bord na Móna is actively developing opportunities in the renewable energy, waste management and environmental solutions areas. Bord na Móna is pursuing the development of a waste management facility at Drehid, Co. Kildare, and progressing the co-fuelling of Edenderry Powerstation. In the context of developing opportunities in biomass the Company is carrying out trials on the potential for growing some energy crops including Miscanthus, on unused cutaway boglands in the midlands. The potential to utilise naturally occurring growth on bogland such as birch and willow is also being investigated.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the development of the Arklow wind bank; the time-frame for development; the current number of wind farms; the plans for further wind farms; the number of grid connections with wind farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23044/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The commercial development of a proposed large scale wind-farm on the Arklow Banks is primarily a matter for the project developers. A proposal for a smaller phase 1 project of 25 megawatts (MW) on the same site has been submitted into the offshore wind category of round 6 of the Alternative Energy Requirement support programme (AER 6), operated by my Department. Evaluation of applications in this category by my Department is currently ongoing which precludes me from commenting on the project.

Currently Ireland has over one thousand Megawatts of renewable capacity connected. This consists of approximately 793 MW of wind powered plant, 236 MW of hydro powered plant with the balance (c. 34 MW) made up of different biomass technologies. Grid connections are awarded by EirGrid and ESB Networks. The network operators are overseen by the Commission for Energy Regulation. Currently there is over 3,000 MW of renewable generation in the grid connection application process, the vast bulk of which is wind-powered technology.

The accelerated development of renewable energy technologies and the realisation of commercial projects both onshore and offshore will be critical to meeting our objectives for security of supply sustainability and a low carbon future.