Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is a highly efficient way of generating on-site heat and electricity simultaneously. It can offer significantly reduced energy bills for the end user and is a particularly efficient form of energy generation as it minimises any transmission losses involved in getting power to the site. Traditionally, CHP plants were only used in large industrial units with a high on-site heat load. Increasingly the technology is developing higher efficiency, smaller scale units that are capable of servicing smaller buildings and residential houses. As this technology becomes more common in the market, smaller commercial premises, public buildings, can now reduce their energy costs by installing CHP systems.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), administers the Deployment Programme for CHP technologies. The programme was expanded in 2008 to include dedicated support for Biomass and Anaerobic Digestion powered CHP. Under the SEAI Support Programme a significant number of Public Buildings have taken advantage of the benefits of CHP, or are currently in the process of doing so. These include academic institutions which have installed CHP systems, with a total electrical capacity of 850 kilowatts. Two more institutions are in the process of installing systems with an electrical capacity of 750 kilowatts. In the Health sector, five hospitals have already installed CHP systems with a total electrical capacity of 770 kilowatts. Three local authorities have also installed systems with an electrical capacity of 350 kilowatts, with one more in construction.

The Renewable Heat Deployment Programme (ReHeat), which incentivises the installation of biomass boilers, is also open to institutional users of heat, and has already supported the construction of a number of projects. Taken together, CHP technologies and the projects supported by Reheat offer real solutions to energy costs in these public buildings by reducing the cost of power and increasing the overall energy efficiency of the buildings. SEAI and my Department are in ongoing discussions with the OPW and other Government Departments and agencies to increase the deployment of CHP further into the public building programme.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the development of wind energy here; the progress the ocean energy development unit in Sustainable Energy Ireland has made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16564/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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EirGrid publishes comprehensive and regularly updated lists of connected wind farms and contracted wind farms throughout the country on its website. EirGrid's most recent report of 8 February advises that there are just over 100 wind farms connected to the grid with an installed wind capacity of 1264MW. There are an additional 100 wind farms with a total contracted capacity of 1415MW which have contracted for grid connections which will be built out over the next number of years.

It is estimated a total of 1650 MW of installed renewable capacity will be required to achieve the 15% renewable electricity target this year. There are sufficient projects with both planning permission and a connection offer to deliver this target with onshore wind remaining dominant. The latest figures from EirGrid show that there is a further 1,500 MW with signed connection agreements or in the final stages of agreeing one. The recent Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) decision on the 'Gate 3' process provides for connection offers for 3900 MWs of additional renewable electricity capacity in the short term. Connection offers for Gate 3 are due to issue between December 2009 and mid 2011. Major grid infrastructure developments are required to underpin this level of renewable capacity. EirGrid's Grid25 strategy sets out the overall framework for the investment in the transmission system over the next 15 years.

The Ocean Energy Development Unit (OEDU) was established in Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) in 2008 and full implementation of the Ocean Energy programme commenced in 2009. The Government has set an ambitious target of 500MW of ocean energy by 2020. Ocean energy is currently at the research and development stage globally. There is no ocean energy device as yet connected to the Irish grid, however there is a demonstration tidal device connected to the grid in Northern Ireland at Strangford Lough. SEAI is working in conjunction with ESBI, the Marine Institute and other stakeholders to establish a grid connected ocean energy test facility off Annagh Head County Mayo. The test site will be a key enabler for the development of an ocean energy industry in Ireland. An exploratory foreshore licence was granted to SEAI in September 2009, which has enabled site investigation works to commence at the planned test site location. Progressing the test site is a key priority for 2010 in order to ensure that Ireland remains one of the leading countries in the European ocean energy arena.

SEAI, under the Ocean Energy Prototype Development Fund, has approved funding support totalling €4.35m for 12 projects from over 30 expressions of interest received. The funding support is designed to stimulate the commercial development and deployment of ocean energy devices that can generate renewable electricity. Additional projects are being assessed at present. The Ocean Energy Package announced in 2008 provided funding of €26m over three years. €7m was allocated to the Ocean Energy Programme for 2009 of which €3.764m was spent, reflecting the fact that work to progress the test site was at a very preliminary stage during 2009 and the approved prototype funding support is being disbursed over the two years 2009 and 2010. €7.8m has been allocated to the Ocean Energy Programme for 2010 and it is expected that this funding will be fully expended.