Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which non-fossil fuel electricity production contributes to the national electricity grid; the extent to which targets have been met regarding this to date; his plans for the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53579/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Under the Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland is legally required to ensure that 16% of all energy consumed is from renewable sources by 2020. This target must be met across the electricity, heating and transport sectors, with a sub-target of 10% in transport. In order to meet 16% of total energy, Ireland requires 40% renewable electricity, 10% renewable transport and 12% renewable heat in 2020.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has recently published a report entitled Energy in Ireland. It shows that in absolute terms, the total use of renewables in Ireland has almost trebled between 2003 and 2011. In 2011, renewable energy accounted for 6.5% of overall energy:

- 17.6% of electricity usage

- 5% of thermal energy

- 3.6% of transport energy

The use of renewable energy avoided the emission of about 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2011. The use of wind energy in 2011 in Ireland is estimated to have reduced fuel imports by about €300 million. Achieving the requisite increase to meet our legally binding target in the relatively short timeframe available will be challenging.

In the electricity sector, EirGrid’s “Gate 3” initiative provides for sufficient new renewable generation to meet the 40% electricity sub-target. EirGrid is ensuring sufficient grid upgrade as part of its Grid25 programme as well as ensuring under the “DS3” programme that the necessary operational changes are made to the grid so that our 40% target can be achieved. It is estimated that around 200 MW of new renewable generation needs to be connected per annum to ensure our target is met. New renewable plants from onshore wind, hydro and biomass can apply to participate in the REFIT (Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff) scheme, administered by my Department.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the results to date arising from scientific research into the development of alternative energy sources with particular reference to wind energy, hydro or wave energy or other alternatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53580/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Scientific research into a range of alternative/ renewable energy sources has been taking place over many years, and continues to take place in Ireland and internationally. This is supported from both national and EU sources.

Such work can apply at various stages in the development path from idea to market: from basic research to applied research to development to demonstration to commercialisation. In the case of renewable energies, depending on the state of maturity of the technology, such research can focus on proof of concept (early research), or performance improvement, or cost efficiency. For the technologies referenced in the question, hydro and wind are more mature technologies whereas wave energy is still very much at the research and demonstration stage.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) hosts an energy research web portal on its website at giving details on projects, technologies and research institutions. SEAI also annually publishes an inventory of energy research in Ireland, including renewable energies, on those pages.

The results of studies to date have indicated that wind energy is in the near term Ireland’s most abundant, technologically viable and cost competitive renewable energy resource and have further confirmed that the wind energy resource may contribute up to 40% of electricity demand without compromising a stable and reliable electricity system. It is therefore a renewable energy policy priority to utilise Ireland’s wind energy resource to the fullest extent possible to meet national 2020 EU renewable energy targets.