Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 556: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to the average cost of a wind turbine here; if so, the average cost of a wind turbine here; if the figure for Ireland is higher than the European Union average which according to the European Wind Energy Association is on average €1.2 million per megawatt capacity; if so, the action he will take to rectify this cost difference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31025/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) as part of its submission on 25 June 2010 on the draft National Renewable Energy Action Plan provided the Department with some current information on capital expenditure for wind farm projects.

They advised that on review of a sample of 21 projects (from 8 megawatt (MW) to 90MW) that received financial close in the last 2 years or will close later this year or early next year, the total capital expenditure per MW is now on average €1.76m/MW. They also advised that on review of a sample of 10 projects that are less than 5MW, the average capital expenditure is now on average €1.824m/MW.

In March 2009 the EWEA published a document entitled "The Economics of Wind Energy.' which notes the various European costs in 2006 terms, totalling €1.227m per MW.

Costs of development will always vary between markets, depending on geographic location of a windfarm, distance between the wind farm and the available grid connection point, meeting grid code compliance costs as well as local construction rates, etc.

Given the rate of development in the Irish market in recent years, virtually all of the main turbine manufacturers are active in our market and there is keen and noticeable competition between them in the sector. Many developers and industry consultants in the Irish market now operate internationally and have direct experience of building plant in many different markets. This means that they are well placed to experience and judge component prices in any development they are planning.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 557: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 9 June 2010, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that work on the preparation of a publication referred to in a previous reply began nearly ten years ago and that in the preparation of the wind atlas, no actual wind speed measurements were conducted at 50m, 75m and 100m above ground and that estimates of wind speeds at these heights are extrapolated from data collected mostly at 10m above ground using assumptions that may or may not be correct; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31026/10]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 558: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 9 June 2010, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a publication referred to in a previous reply uses assumptions which may or may not be correct; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that wind speed calculations used to predict available wind power may consequently contain relatively small errors in wind speed estimates at 50m, 75m and 100m above ground when extrapolated from measurements made at 10m and that this can result in very significant errors in wind power density calculations at these heights, especially at higher hub heights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31027/10]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 559: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 9 June 2009, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that semi-State companies under his aegis have many years of highly accurate measured wind data at various heights above ground that would provide a much more accurate assessment of wind resources than a publication referred to in this reply (details supplied); if he plans to ensure data in relation to wind resources are made available to local and regional authorities in order that the resource will be assessed as accurately as possible; if he will support rational planning decisions based on the most accurate information available about our wind resources and that the public interest in our natural resources and transparency are of paramount importance relative to any possible commercial sensitivity of the wind data in the possession of semi-State companies under his aegis; if he will direct agencies under his aegis to make wind data in their possession available to local and regional authorities engaged in wind resource assessment for the purposes of their development plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31028/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 557 to 559, inclusive, together.

The European Commission's "Draft Guidelines on Wind Energy Development and EU Nature Conservation" looks at how wind energy targets can be met in ways that minimise adverse impacts on nature and biodiversity. Under the auspices of the Department of Environment 'Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Wind Energy Development' various Planning Authorities/County Councils have prepared their own 'Wind Energy Strategies'. I am fully supportive of local, regional and county involvement in furthering renewable energy development and in the incorporation of renewable energy into relevant plans, with those bodies receiving as much appropriate guidance and information as possible.

It is the case that measured wind data in the possession of the energy state companies engaged in developing renewable energy projects would be deemed to be commercially sensitive and its release to local and regional authorities would be a matter for the companies concerned.

In relation to the specific concerns raised about the accuracy of certain data in the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's Wind Atlas. I have asked my Department to take up these concerns further with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), with a view to forwarding you a direct response from SEAI.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 560: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of electricity generating capacity by type of generator that is allocated to each semi-State company under the Gate 3 process; the counties and geographic locations in which the generation will be located; the amount of generating capacity by type of generator allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31029/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The independent Transmission System Operator, EirGrid plc, publishes and periodically updates information on its website relating to applications which are made to EirGrid as the Transmission System Operator, or ESB Networks Ltd as the Distribution System Operator, in respect of grid connections to the transmission system or the distribution system respectively. The information published by EirGrid includes the applicant name and contact details, date of receipt of application, the location and the Maximum Export Capacity (MEC) of the application.

At my Department's request, EirGrid has provided the table below of those grid connection applications which were submitted by the semi-State companies and which were included in the list of applications that were successful under the Gate 3 direction as issued by the Commission for Energy Regulation in December 2008. The table below includes information on the location, type (either wind or conventional generation) and the MEC for each application.

It should be noted while the list in the table includes successful applications submitted by SWS (which was subsequently purchased by Bord Gáis Energy), certain other individual applications, in respect of projects that may have been subsequently purchased by a Semi-State company following the original submission of the application, may not be included in the table. This is because EirGrid or ESB Networks Ltd may not have received a request for change of details, and confirmation of such changes, prior to the publication of the information on grid connection applications.

* These projects received a connection offer in advance of the Gate 3 decision but were granted firm access as part of Incremental Transfer Capability Program (ITC) in the Gate 3 process.