Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of applications for access to the national grid in respect of wind or other alternative energy generating sources; the average waiting time in respect of such applications based on experience over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53582/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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EirGrid figures show that the total number of applications for renewable energy connection to the national grid to date is 879. Of these applications, wind represents 696 applications and other renewable sources represent 183 applications.

372 of these applications were received and placed in the queue from the date that the Gate 3 applications were closed which was November 2007. Until such time as any next gate process is decided upon these applications are not being processed further.

It is not straightforward to provide an “average waiting time” however the majority of these unprocessed applications were received between November 2007 and December 2009.

There has been considerable growth in the deployment of wind farms in Ireland from around 300 Mega Watts of capacity in 2005, to over 1,600 Mega Watts of capacity operational in the market today.

The latest forecasts from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland as to the amount of renewable generation required to meet our 40% renewable electricity target is around 4000 MW of operational capacity, subject to achieving our energy efficiency goals. Currently, approximately 2000 MW of renewable generation is connected to the grid including over 1600 MW of wind generation. A further 1500 MW of renewable generation, almost all of which is new wind generating capacity, has contracted with either EirGrid or ESB Networks.

The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) operates a processing approach for wind projects looking to connect to the electricity grid. This allows for a strategic view to be taken of network requirements and serves to put in place efficient connection solutions to cater for a large number of applications and to ensure optimum network development, minimising network costs and, where possible, avoidance of network bottlenecks. The EirGrid GRID25 strategy was devised to put in place the necessary infrastructure needed to underpin this market growth.

To date there have been 3 Gates and in the latest Gate 3 phase some 3900 MW of offers have issued to renewable generators. The take up of Gate 3 offers cannot be quantified as yet. Somewhere around 500 MW of Gate 3 have accepted their offers to date and have already contracted with EirGrid or ESB Networks. It is expected that between what is already built in Gate 1 and Gate 2 and what has already contracted to build along with the remainder of Gate 3 is largely sufficient for the achievement of our 40% target, even if some Gate 3 developers ultimately decide not to accept their offer.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the full extent of bio-fuel production with particular reference to biodiesel and ethanol; the full extent of all production facilities currently available; his plans for the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53583/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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According to the most recent Biofuels Obligation Scheme Annual Report, there were four entities producing biofuels participating in the Biofuel Obligation Scheme.

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 by 2020. 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 the first increase happening from 2013. The biofuel obligation has successfully delivered increased amounts of biofuel in Ireland resulting in 145 million litres of biofuel being placed on the Irish market in 2011. It will ensure the sustainable growth of the Irish biofuels market thus supporting the growth of sustainable indigenous production of biofuels.