Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his proposals for the future of biofuels here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53250/12]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the consequences for Ireland of EU Commission proposals that aim to cap crop based bio-fuel production to a maximum of 5% of total transport fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53268/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 30 together.

The Biofuel Obligation Scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means to meet the target of at least 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020, which was mandated by the Renewable Energy Directive. It is estimated that 8.4% of the energy in transport in Ireland will be achieved by deployment of biofuels. The Biofuel Obligation currently requires that the amount of biofuels brought to the market is not less than 4% by volume of the relevant disposal of petroleum road transport fuels. This obligation will increase over time with first increase happening from 2013.

Recently, the European Commission circulated a proposal to amend sections of the Renewable Energy Directive. This proposal will be discussed during the Irish presidency of the EU next year. One of the amendments proposed is that no more than 5% of the energy in the transport sector should come from biofuels produced from certain crops. My Department is currently examining the proposal and its implications for meeting the target of 10% renewable energy by 2020.

In order to maintain progress towards achieving targets, I intend to increase the Biofuel Obligation from January next year. This increase will not be affected by the proposed amendment on crop based biofuels as the overall energy content of the obligation will not breach the proposed 5% cap. The rate of the obligation will remain the same until the end of 2014. Decisions on further increases after 2014 will be taken after any amendments to the Renewable Energy Directive have been finalised.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the annual additional cost incurred with a no wind energy situation and the alternatives considered to achieve the same level of environmental protection using other technologies both renewable and energy conservation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53338/12]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of natural gas saved as a result of Ireland's wind energy programme; the public authority that completed this verification; if he will provide details of the recognised international procedures used in the verification process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53336/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 50 together.

The additional cost incurred with no wind generation is an estimated figure of approximately €300 million in avoided national gas imports from the use of all renewable energies in the generation of electricity in 2011 which was published recently by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). They calculate that wind generation alone would account for an estimated €240 million of the €300 million in avoided gas imports.

The calculation is based on a methodology set out in SEAI's Renewable Energy in Ireland – 2011 report, where the avoided primary energy from the various renewable energies are estimated based on the technologies they would be replacing. For wind it is assumed that they are replacing marginal gas generation. This results in a more conservative estimate of avoided primary energy and emissions than taking say the average system generation as used in the International Energy Agency’s Partial Substitution Methodology. The estimated avoided primary energy is then used to arrive at an estimated avoided gas import cost figure using the price of natural gas for electricity generation (IEA Energy Prices & Taxes).

The above figures relate only to avoided energy import costs. There is currently sufficient conventional capacity on the grid to cope with a ‘no wind’ situation so there wouldn’t be any additional investment costs.

The methodology set out in Renewable Energy in Ireland draws on approaches that were developed for use in baseline studies in credit-based emission trading systems and the IEA partial substitution method.

For reference see: Kartha S., Lazarus M. and Bosi M, 2004. Baseline recommendations for greenhouse gas mitigation projects in the electric power sector. Energy Policy 32, 545-566.