Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of wind farms currently contributing to the national grid; the total electricity generated thereby; the number, if any, of such farms seeking access to the national grid and their capacity to produce electricity in the future; when it is expected that approval will be given to all such applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38043/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 244: 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. [38052/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: 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 energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38054/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which electricity is now generated from non-fossil fuels; the degree to which EirGrid can now rely on such production; the extent to which importation of coal, gas or oil has been reduced as a consequence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38056/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 239, 244, 246 and 248 together.

At the end of June 2010 there was 1731MW of renewable generation connected to the Irish grid. This included 1459 MW of installed wind capacity from over 100 windfarms; 242MW of hydro power and 30MW of smaller renewable energy generation. In 2009 14.4% of electricity consumption in Ireland is estimated to have come from renewable sources. This corresponding figure in 2004 was 5%. From January 2010 to date, renewable generation has formed approximately 12% of Ireland's overall generation mix. It is anticipated that this will rise to15% by the end of the year. EirGrid provide detail on their website of all of the connected and contracted generators divided into wind farms and other types of generators. There is an additional 1152MW of wind farm generators that have contracted with either EirGrid or ESB Networks. The EirGrid website sets out the target connection dates for these generators.

In addition to the above, there is a further 3900MW of renewable generation due to receive a grid connection offer under Gate 3. This amount of renewable generation is sufficient to achieve Ireland's target of around 40% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020. As the majority of the renewable generation on the power system is wind and this is a variable source of energy, EirGrid can rely on wind generation on average 30% of the time on a yearly basis. The availability of wind generation varies from day-to-day however and at times wind has provided 50% of electricity demand. As more renewable generation sources have connected to the power system, EirGrid has seen a decrease in the amount of fossil fuel based generation used to meet electricity demand. This reduction is proportionate to the amount of renewable generation on the power system.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's statistical 2010 update on Renewable Energy in Ireland sets out the proportion of Ireland's renewable energy consumption estimated to be from renewable sources in the period up to end 2009. It is estimated that 14.4% of our consumption in the electricity sector was from renewables; 3.9% of our energy consumption in the heat sector was from renewables and 1.5% of our energy consumption in the transport sector was from renewable sources. Ireland's National Renewable Energy Action Plan published in July and which is available on the Department's website, sets out the plans to achieve Ireland's EU legally binding target of 16% of all energy consumption across the electricity, transport and heating sector from renewable sources by 2020.