Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1567. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the degree to which non-fossil fuel generated electricity is available to the national grid at present; the extent to which further improvement is likely in this regard, with particular reference to alternative or renewable sources; the extent to which such replacement is set to continue, if in keeping with EU and UN targets in respect renewable energy- carbon reduction within the timescale set out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32297/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020 and in order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, 12% renewables in the heating sector and 10% in transport. Ireland has made good progress with regard to renewable energy deployment. To date, wind energy has been the largest driver of growth in renewable electricity. Provisional figures provided by the SEAI for 2014 show that 8.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirement was met by renewable energy. In addition, SEAI has calculated that 22.6% of electricity, 6.6% of heat and 5.2% of transport were met from renewable sources.

In 2014, 22.6% of gross electricity generation was from renewables with the sub-categories listed in the following table.

Electricity generated from renewable sources is playing an increasingly important role as part of our energy mix and has increased from 7.2% in 2005 to 20.9% in 2013. There are a range of policies in place to incentivise the increased use of renewable electricity. The REFIT schemes underpin the development of a range of renewable electricity technologies, including hydro, biomass combustion, biomass combined heat and power, landfill gas and onshore wind. These schemes close to new applications at the end of 2015. The cost effectiveness of support for renewables is a key consideration in the work now underway in the Department to consider the appropriateness and design of any new support scheme for renewable electricity. This will be available in 2016 subject to State Aid approval from the European Commission. The initial consultation period on the design of this scheme closed on 18 September 2015, however there will be two further opportunities for the public to contribute at key points in the design of the scheme.

Green House Gas emissions targets are a matter for my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1568. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the current electricity generating capacity derived from biomass, wind, hydro or micro-generated; the extent to which export substitution with consequent economic benefit continues to be achieved arising from the use of alternative energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32298/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1574. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which the total amount of alternative electricity generation achieved to date and to express this as a percentage of total requirements in respect of carbon reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32304/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1568 and 1574 together.

The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020 and, in order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, 12% renewables in the heating sector and 10% in transport. Ireland has made good progress with regard to renewable energy deployment. To date, wind energy has been the largest driver of growth in renewable electricity. Provisional figures provided by the SEAI for 2014 show that 8.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirement was met by renewable energy. In addition, SEAI has calculated that 22.6% of electricity, 6.7% of heat and 5.2% of transport were met from renewable sources.

In 2014, 22.6% of gross electricity generation was from renewables with the sub-categories listed in the following table.

With regard to import substitution, our progress to date has already had a significant impact on the fossil fuel imports and carbon intensity of our economy. A report published by the SEAI in 2014, "Energy in Ireland 1990 - 2013" looking at fuel and CO2 emissions noted that renewable electricity generation displaced 778 kilo tonnes of oil equivalent of fossil fuel, with an associated saving of almost 2 million tonnes of CO2. The respective monetary savings were €245 million and €15 million. Furthermore, the SEAI report noted that energy related CO2 emissions fell by 3.8% and that the carbon intensity of electricity dropped to a new low of 469 grams of CO2 per kilo watt hour in 2013.

This transition has continued with the SEAI estimating that the use of indigenous renewables for electricity generation in 2014 avoided an estimated €254 million in fossil fuel imports, achieved in spite of a reduction in fossil fuel prices in the intervening period since 2012.