Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has plans for extra provision of storage facilities similar to Turlough Hill; his views on whether additional storage would permit higher levels of generation from renewable sources; if he will commission a study that considers increased storage as a mechanism for facilitating greater generation from renewable sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43648/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Government targets are to increase the contribution from renewable energy sources to electricity consumed to a minimum 15% by 2010 and 40% by 2020.

The provision of back up capacity to ensure security of electricity supplies to consumers as increasing volumes of undispatchable renewable energy technologies contribute to targets delivery can be provided from a number of sources including pumped storage technologies and interconnection as well as other flexible power-generation plants. This is demonstrated in the All-Island Grid Study, which was published earlier this year. The roll-out of additional projects will also be facilitated by EirGrid's recently launched Grid Development Strategy to 2025, which sets out overall plans for investment of €4 billion in the transmission system over the period.

There are no plans to conduct additional studies of particular technologies at this time. However, new technology developments may well enhance the viability of additional storage options in the future or bring forward new project proposals from developers within the liberalised electricity market, which will be examined on the merits of the case arising.