Written answers

Thursday, 14 July 2016

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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28. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the fines which will be imposed on Ireland from 2020 for not meeting our agreed European Union emissions targets, the amount this will cost the taxpayer per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21504/16]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC 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. The Government has adopted a range of support measures designed to meet our binding target, and although good progress towards our target has been made to date, meeting the 16% target remains challenging. Provisional data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) indicates we had reached 9.2% of the overall 16% target at the end of 2015. The Renewable Energy Directive sets out arrangements to enable member states to meet  their targets, including the purchase of compliance through a a flexibility measure, known as a statistical transfer. The focus remains firmly on meeting our 2020 target and  a number of interventions have been taken to support  renewable energy, including  the Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff supports. New measures are also in development including a Renewable Electricity Support Scheme  and a Renewable Heat Incentive. In any event the cost of purchasing statistical transfers should any potential shortfall in Ireland's target arise has yet to be established and will depend on a number of factors, particularly available supply and market costs. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has estimated that the cost to Ireland may be in the range of €100 million to €150 million for each percentage point Ireland falls short of the overall 16% renewable energy target.

The Energy White Paper, Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon  Energy Future, published in December 2015, sets out a vision for  transforming Ireland's fossil-fuel based energy sector into a clean, low carbon system by 2050. The clear focus of my Department is  on implementing the range of actions set out in the White Paper and Programme for Government that are aimed at meeting our energy and climate change targets.

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