Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 507: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which alternative energy now supplies the national electricity grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4947/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 509: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the degree to which the wind energy sector has grown and contributed to the national electricity grid in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4949/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 507 and 509 together.

The year on year increase in the contribution from renewable energy technologies to the electricity market is set out in the table below. The table records the combined contribution from all renewable energy technologies. The vast majority of the growth achieved in each year is attributable to wind-powered technologies, which now exceeds 1,000 megawatts of installed capacity connected to the electricity grid. The data for 2004-2007 is published data. The contribution for 2008 is an initial estimate calculated by EirGrid.