Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 120: To ask the Taoiseach the percentage of energy consumed in his Department and in all agencies for which his Department has responsibility that comes from renewable sources. [33285/07]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The contract for the supply of electrical energy to Government Buildings, my Department and its agencies, is not specifically for 'green' energy but does of course include a component of 'green' energy as connected to the national grid. The supply is at medium voltage and the electrical supply companies that specialise in 'green' energy are not active in this area of the market. The source of heating energy for the entire Government Buildings complex, which includes my own Department, is natural gas. There is a central plant serving the whole facility and this includes a combined heat and power unit (CHP) which is a 'green' energy source.

The Office of Public Works is in the process of bringing forward proposals for a new energy centre for the complex and this will be presented to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission on Wednesday, 12 December, 2007. It is intended that the new energy centre will provide for a number of alternative sources of energy for the complex which will include increasing the number of combined heat and power units as well as other viable 'green' energy sources which are currently being examined.