Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 460: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number and location of wind farms currently awaiting approval for access to the national grid throughout the country on a county basis; the progress in each case over the past three years; if planning permission has been granted in all such cases; when it is likely that access will be granted in all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23428/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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EirGrid figures show that there are just over 100 wind farms connected to the grid with an installed wind capacity 1264 MW.

There are an additional 100 wind farms with a total contracted capacity of 1415 MW which have contracted for grid connections which will be built out over the next number of years.

Detailed information is provided on the number and location of wind farms awaiting approval for access to the grid and the breakdown by county on the EirGrid website.

Grid connection offers for projects within the Gate 3 process began to issue in December 2009 and will continue to be issued on a phased basis until mid 2011.

In terms of progress in recent years, further information on those contracted to connect to the grid and their target connection date is also available on the EirGrid website.

Supervision of the grid connection process and settlement of any disputes arising is vested in the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The CER has operated a group approach to connecting renewable projects to the national grid, which is designed to streamline the connection process in the interests of efficiency and cost effectiveness for developers. To date, the CER has not required evidence of planning permission to be provided prior to determining that a project will receive a grid connection offer.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 461: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the full extent of alternative energy now supplied by various alternative energy sources including wind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23429/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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A report just published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland which is entitled 'Renewable Energy in Ireland 2010 Update' sets out the latest position in this matter. Renewable Electricity (RES-E) - The share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources (RES-E) in 2009 was 14.4% (provisional), exceeding the interim EU target of 13.2% by 2010 and placing Ireland firmly on track to meet the Government target of 15% by 2010. - Wind energy accounted for over 10% of all electricity generation in 2009. Renewable Heat Energy (RES-H) - Renewable heat (RES-H) accounted for 3.6% of all thermal energy in 2008. RES-H grew from 2.6% in 1990 to 3.8% in 2004 - Industrial biomass energy use (mostly in the wood and food sectors) accounted for 70% of all thermal renewable energy used in 2008, which corresponds to 2.8% of all thermal energy use in Ireland. - Industrial biomass energy use increased by 106% (3.9% average annual growth) between 1990 and 2008. - Residential biomass energy use increased by 9.5% between 1990 and 2008 (0.5% average annual growth). However the average annual growth rate between 2005 and 2009 was 18%. Renewable Transport Energy (RES-T) - Biofuels accounted for 1.2% of road transport consumption in 2008. Provisional 2009 data estimates biofuels at 1.5% of road transport. - The dominant biofuel is biodiesel, representing 63% of biofuel usage in 2008, followed by bioethanol (32%) and finally pure plant oil (5%). - Indigenous production accounted for 43% of biofuels in 2008. Avoided CO2 Emissions - CO2 avoided through renewable energy use increased by 257% (7.3% per annum on average) over the period 1990 to 2008 reaching 2,830 kt CO2 in 2008.