Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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445. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if any study has taken place to show the amount of reduction in the fossil fuel import bill that has taken place from 2006 to 2012 as a result of the wind farm energy supply being delivered into the national grid. [50769/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Under the EU Renewable Energy Directive, Ireland is required to increase the share of renewable energy in total energy demand from 3.1% in 2005 to 16% by 2020. To reach the 16% target, Ireland is committed to achieving 40% of electricity, 12% of heating and 10% of transport power from renewable resources by 2020. Wind generally displaces marginal generation plant, which are either gas or oil. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) estimates that the overall avoided imports from wind alone since 2006 are as follows:

This work shows that, in total since 2006, wind energy has avoided approximately €1.1 billion in fossil fuel imports, primarily of gas, but also some oil. Wind generation does not tend to displace coal in Ireland. The SEAI’s work in this area also indicates that fossil fuel dependency in Ireland may be reduced by a further 15% by the deployment of renewable energy by the year 2020. This demonstrates that indigenous renewable energy can reduce both our exposure to volatile global fossil fuel prices, and harmful emissions, thus delivering real environmental and economic benefits for Ireland.