Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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17. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the wave energy developers who had been accepted to participate in the west wave project in 2013, and in each case the type of wave energy converter and its technical readiness level; if he will report on their progress in 2015; the current participants; the type of wave energy convertor and technical readiness level; and if he will report targets to 2020. [16287/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The WestWave project is a collaborative ocean energy project led by the ESB with the objective of accelerating the development of the ocean energy sector in Ireland. ESB is working with a number of wave energy project developers to realise this 5MW project off the coast of Clare, and the details in regard to the developers, the procurement process and specific technologies involved are matters for ESB.

I am advised that the ESB objective is that the WestWave project would be operational by 2020. This is a highly innovative project and it is imperative that the technical solution chosen would be appropriate for the energetic wave conditions on the west coast of Ireland.

Wave and tidal energy is still at the research, development and demonstration stage globally, and while promising experimental devices have been developed, much more research, development and demonstration is required to bring wave energy technology to commercial viability.

Policy action across a range of areas is required to support developers in bringing ocean energy devices from prototype to full scale commerciality. This action is being taken in the context of the implementation of the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan published last year, which sets out Government policy in relation to the sustainable development of Ireland’s abundant offshore renewable energy resources.

Exchequer support for ocean research, development and demonstration has been provided to the sector in recent years and is being increased under the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan. In total, my Department has allocated €26.3 million for ocean energy for the period 2013 to 2016. This supports, inter alia, the Prototype Development Fund operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland which provides grant aid for the development of prototype ocean energy devices.