Written answers

Thursday, 17 July 2014

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan Implementation

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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23. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the development of wave power here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31649/14]

Photo of Alex WhiteAlex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The ocean energy sector in Ireland, as in other countries, is at the pre-commercial stage. As identified in the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP), which was published earlier this year, the ocean energy sector holds real potential for growth in the green economy and jobs in our coastal communities. The OREDP sets out policy actions and enablers to realise this ambition.

Supporting developers in bringing their devices from prototype to full scale commercial viability requires a broad range of policies. To that end, the ocean energy development budget, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), provides support to developers in various ways. €6.5 million is available from the budget during 2014. Initial device development and testing is supported through the Prototype Fund. Developers must satisfy a range of technical criteria to indicate potential viability in order to receive funding. The €6.5m also includes funding for the development of the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS) off County Mayo. From 2016, this facility will provide a grid connected test site with some of the best conditions for wave energy development in the world. Currently SEAI and the Marine Institute provide quarter size test facilities off the Galway coast.

The Irish Maritime and Energy Research Centre (IMERC) provides initial device testing facilities and critical research and development capacity. My Department is contributing €3 million in co-funding to the IMERC between 2013 and 2016. In total, my Department has allocated €26.3 million for ocean energy in the period 2013 to 2016. This funding, which will benefit from increased cross government coordination through the implementation of the OREDP, is vital if the ocean energy sector is to reach its full potential in Ireland. The fact that this level of funding has been retained for ocean energy despite the budgetary constraints of recent years indicates the level of Government commitment to realising the potential of our abundant, indigenous, offshore energy resources.

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