Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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524. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which wind generation now supplies power to the national grid; the extent to which this national source is planned to grow in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27343/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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In 2012 15.5% of Ireland's electricity demand was met by wind generation. By the end of quarter one2013 1,763 MW of wind generation capacity was connected to the grid. Under the Renewable Energy Directive Ireland is legally required to ensure 16% of total energy demand is met by renewable sources by 2020. Ireland proposes to meet this target through 40% in electricity, 10% in transport and 12% in heating.

To date, wind energy has been the largest driver of growth in renewable electricity, contributing most towards the achievement of the 2020 target. However, if we are to reach that target, the build rate of onshore wind farms must accelerate from an historic average of 180 MW per year to at least 250 MW per year. It was for this reason that I decided to amend the terms of REFIT 2 to extend the closing date for applications to 31 December 2015, with projects required to be built by the end of December 2017. Support under REFIT 2 cannot exceed 15 years and will not extend beyond the end of December 2032.

In order to take a structured approach to connecting the necessary amounts of renewable generation to the grid, the Commission for Energy Regulation established the Gate 3 process. Under this process, grid connection offers have been made to around 3,900 MW of renewable generation, the bulk of which is wind. It is now a matter for project developers to accept or reject these offers in the coming months.