Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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577. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a list of the total outputs in megawatts of each wind farm here by month and year and by turbine; if he holds such data for as long as he holds records along with the rated maximum output of each wind farm; the number of hours at maximum output or full output hours per year for each wind farm each of which provides details of its location; if he holds data on array losses for individual wind farms; if individual turbines are individually metered; if he holds data on the extent of any curtailment of individual wind farms; if generators are compensated for periods of curtailment and if so, the amount of same; if there is data that would allow the weibull number to be estimated for each wind farm; the extent of the data and analysis he holds on wind energy outputs here. [46358/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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As Minister for Energy, I am responsible for the formulation and implementation of energy policy. The data to which the Deputy refers in this question is operational in nature. Therefore, I have no function with regard to its collection or application. However, I can advise the Deputy that, where such data is required by either the Transmission System Operator, EirGrid, or the Distribution System Operator, ESB Networks, for the purposes of system operation, it is supplied to the system operators by wind farm operators under the requirements of the Grid Code. I can also advise that those wind farms over 10 MW participate in the All Island Single Electricity Market (SEM), and, consequently, their metered export data is available on the website of the Single Electricity Market Operator (SEMO). The issue of compensation of generators for periods of curtailment is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation. I refer the Deputy to the All Island Annual Wind Constraint and Curtailment Report 2013, which is available on the EirGrid website, for further detailed information. I understand that the most recent figures indicate a curtailment level of 3.5%, with an estimated cost of €7.5 million.

Wind generation continues to be the strongest driver of growth in renewable electricity, with over 16% of our electricity demand being met by this indigenous resource in 2013. Wind generation will continue to play a critical role in meeting our commitment to achieve 40% of our electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020, as part of our overall EU obligation to meet 16% of our total energy demand from renewables.