Written answers

Wednesday, 26 October 2016

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Renewable Energy Generation Targets

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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42. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to tackle reliance on fossil fuels following the ratification of the Paris agreement on climate change; and his further plans to develop programmes utilising renewable energy sources, which, in the case of wind and sea turbines, are in abundance in view of Ireland's geographic location. [32059/16]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The extent of the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our EU and international commitments, is well understood by the Government, as reflected in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (2014), and now underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. 

The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy, as set out in the Energy White Paper (2015), is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers as our energy system undergoes the fundamental transformation required to meet our climate policy objectives. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility, is essential to Irish consumers as we make this transition.

By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector are to be reduced by between 80% and 95%, compared to 1990 levels in line with the EU objective. Fossil fuels will remain a progressively decreasing part of the energy mix as we transition to a largely decarbonised energy system by 2050, and significant progress is already being made in increasing the share of renewables in that mix.

In addition to the EU's 2020 targets for emissions reductions, the 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy, with the latter transport target also being legally binding. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has calculated that 25.3% of electricity, 6.8% of heat and 5.7% of transport energy requirements were from renewable sources at end 2015. The SEAI analysis also shows that 9.1% of Ireland's overall energy requirements in 2015 were met from renewable sources and that this avoided €286 million of fossil fuel imports.

Government policy will continue to be supportive of the increasing deployment of renewable energy, including offshore renewable energy. The potential for development of this abundant resource is recognised in the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan published in 2014.

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