Written answers

Thursday, 19 July 2012

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Renewable Energy

5:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 460: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which native natural energy schemes have replaced imports over the past five years to date in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36876/12]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 462: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the full extent of electricity now being generated by alternative or natural resources as a percentage of total requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36878/12]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 468: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that this country will achieve EU targets in respect of alternative or natural energy production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36884/12]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 460, 462 and 468 together.

The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of ensuring that 16% of all energy consumption is to be from renewable sources by 2020. This target has to be achieved across the transport, heating and electricity sectors. This target, like all targets assigned to other Member States, is challenging and the Government's priority is to meet these 2020 targets in the most cost effective and economically sustainable manner possible. To achieve this overall 16% target, Ireland has set out in its National Renewable Energy Action Plan that it intends to achieve 40% in the electricity sector, 10% in the transport sector and 12% in the heat sector, which together make up the requisite 16%. According to the provisional figures from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), at the end of 2011, 6.5% of all energy consumed in Ireland was from renewable sources, up from 3.1% in 2005.

In terms of 2011, 17.6% of electricity consumed is provisionally estimated to be from renewable sources, with 40% required by 2020; 3.6% of transport energy was from renewables, with 10% required by 2020; and 5% of our heat energy was from renewables with 12% required by 2020. In terms of the trajectory for the electricity sector, our consumption of renewables was at 9.4% in 2007, 11.1% in 2008, 13.7% in 2009, 14.8% in 2010 and an estimated 17.6% in 2011. Further information can be found in SEAI's Renewable Energy in Ireland 2011 report. 17.6% of gross final consumption represents over 5,000 GWh of electricity in the Irish market in 2011. The latest analysis from the SEAI shows that these alternative energy sources replaced over 12,000 GWh of electricity which otherwise would have been generated by conventional fuel. This resulted in 21% less overall natural gas imports in 2011 (or 28% less gas for electricity generation) and 0.3% less oil imports than would have been required if renewable energy sources were not deployed. This would equate to approximately €300 million each year in avoided imports of fossil fuels.

EirGrid's latest data indicates that at the end of 2011, Ireland had about 1900MW of renewable generation on the grid. The latest modelling undertaken by SEAI indicates that, provided we achieve our energy efficiency targets, capacity of around 4000MW of renewable generation will be required on the system to deliver the 40% renewable electricity target by 2020. Through its DS3 programme, EirGrid is working on the necessary operational changes required to the grid to ensure that system security and stability are maintained, while catering for the significantly increased amount of intermittent renewable generation to be incorporated into the electricity system by 2020. In addition to delivering on Ireland's target for the domestic market the possibility of renewable trade under the framework of the co-operation mechanisms provided for in the Renewable Energy Directive is being pursued bilaterally with the UK. This aims to develop the potential of exports of the output of certain wind electricity projects to the UK. SEAI has estimated that the increase in electricity generation from renewable sources has displaced fossil fuel imports resulted in primary energy avoided by 6,613 Gigawatt hours in 2006 to 12,431 Gigawatt hours in 2011. SEAI has estimated that this has saved €968 million in avoided imports over the past five years.

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