Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 370: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm if formal approval for the biomass REFIT scheme has been submitted to the EU DG Competition; if not, if he will explain the delay in supporting the creation of biomass based jobs; if he will commit to a date for the submission for approval to the DG Competition; and if he will give a firm commitment for the swift implementation of the biomass REFIT scheme once formal approval has been received from DG Competition to create jobs in the biomass sector. [15748/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

State Aid clearance for the proposed REFIT support scheme for biomass technologies was submitted to DG Competition in the EU Commission in November 2010. This scheme, which is aimed at supporting the use of biomass in electricity generation and heat production, incorporates a proposed range of tariffs for different technologies and requires State Aid clearance before it can open for applications.

The final stages of the State Aid clearance process have now been reached and a decision on the application should be forthcoming from DG Competition within the next two months.

After approval has been received from Brussels, the scheme will be opened to market as soon as is practicable.

Tom Barry (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 371: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if, in view of Germany's intention to move away from nuclear power, which could lead to an increase in its draw from the UK, there are any plans in place to examine future energy requirements and production from renewable resources from within our own country, such as wind and wave technology. [15749/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Ireland has ambitious plans to increase the deployment of renewable energy technologies over the next decade with targets set to achieve 40% of our electricity, 12% of our heating and cooling requirements, and 10% of our transport fuels from renewable sources by 2020. These targets are commensurate with Ireland's binding EU target of 16% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Ireland submitted a National Renewable Energy Action Plan to the European Commission last year which sets out the overall roadmap for achieving the 2020 target. The plan was finalised after both an industry and a full public consultation.

Currently there is around 1,750 Mw of renewable capacity built and operational on the Irish electricity grid. There is a further 1,100 Mw of capacity with signed connection offers in place and the Gate 3 process, which contains the next batch of connections, some 4,000 Mw of capacity, is currently being processed by EirGrid and ESB Networks for Grid Connection offers. The latest EirGrid forecasts show that we need around 4,600 Mw of renewable capacity operational by 2020 to deliver our 40% target.

The vast majority of this capacity is onshore wind, with some 800 Mw of offshore wind contained in the Gate 3 process. Wave technology is still at the research, development and demonstration stage.