Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the development of the Arklow wind bank; the timeframe for any development; if he will provide a summary of the 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. [21355/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number and extent of wind generated electricity available to the national grid; the number of applications for admission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21630/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 196 together.

The electricity generation and supply markets are both fully liberalised. The future development of any wind-farm in the context of the liberalised market, including any future developments on the Arklow Banks, is a matter for the commercial judgement of the developers concerned. I am fully supportive of the development of our offshore wind potential and I have announced the expansion of the Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT) Scheme to encompass offshore wind developments.

Current data on grid connections published by EirGrid indicate there are approximately 80 wind-farms connected with a combined installed capacity exceeding 800 megawatts (MW). A further 40 or so projects with a combined capacity of 466 MW have contracted for connections.

A further 1300 MW of capacity will move from connection offers currently to contracted projects in the near future as part of the Gate 2 process. A further 4300 MW of capacity represents projects which have yet to secure a signed connection agreement.

Overall, the number of wind-farm projects now in the frame for connection demonstrates the steady progress towards achieving our renewable energy targets for 2010 and for 2020.