Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1467. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department is establishing a renewable energy group in order to mitigate the potential of fines from the EU in missing the 2020 targets; his plans to include the Renewable Gas Forum Ireland in this renewable energy group in view of the fact that it has the knowledge, competence and expertise to advise, assist and implement actions to assist in managing the risk while greatly reducing the deficit in reaching the 2020 targets (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1186/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy demand 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.

While good progress has been made to date, with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland advising that 9.1% of Ireland’s overall energy requirements in 2015 were met from renewable sources, meeting the 16% target remains challenging.

The Government has a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy including the Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff schemes which support the development of a range of renewable electricity technologies including hydro, biomass combustion, biomass combined heat and power, landfill gas and onshore wind.

My Department is also developing proposed new Renewable Electricity and Heat  support schemes to assist us meeting our targets. It has been the consistent policy of my Department to  seek input and consult on the development of schemes, and further  opportunities will be provided in relation to the proposed schemes that I have mentioned above. The introduction of any new scheme - including the overall costs and technologies to be supported - will be subject to Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission.

In addition to our onshore wind resource, bioenergy, solar, offshore wind and other technologies may play a role in diversifying our renewable generation portfolio over the period to 2030.

In the transport sector, Ireland aims to meet its renewable target mainly through the increased use of sustainable biofuels, with electric vehicles also making a small contribution.  A further increase to the obligation rate in the Biofuels Obligation Scheme came into effect from 1 January 2017, with a rate now of 8% by volume.

The Renewable Energy Directive provides a comprehensive framework for Member States to work towards achieving individual and EU renewable energy targets including mechanisms for countries to work together such as statistical transfers, which  allow Member States to meet their targets by purchasing credits from Member States that overachieve on their renewable targets. 

More generally, meeting our energy and our climate obligations requires a whole of Government approach and a National Mitigation Plan focused on putting in place the necessary measures to address the challenge to 2020 will be submitted to Government for approval by June 2017.  The focus of my Department is on implementation of the range of actions set out in the Energy White Paper that will enable our transition to a low-carbon economy, and while all options will be kept under review, it is not my intention to establish any new group at this stage.