Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the development of the alternative energy sector in line with current and future requirements in view of the need to meet carbon emission reduction targets and the necessity to ensure a robust and reliable energy grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21861/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The 2015 Energy White Paper sets out a vision to promote the development and diversification of renewable energy in Ireland in a competitive, secure and sustainable manner. A well balanced fuel mix that provides reliable and sustainable energy, minimises costs and protects against supply disruptions and price volatility, is essential to Irish consumers and businesses.

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 target also being legally binding.

Data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) shows that 25.3% of electricity, 6.5% of heat and 5.7% of transport energy requirements were met from renewable sources at end 2015. Overall, SEAI analysis shows that 9.1% of Ireland’s energy requirements in 2015 were met by renewable energy.”

The Government has a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable energy and although good progress towards the target has been made to date, meeting the 16% target remains challenging. The REFIT schemes underpin the development of a range of renewable electricity technologies. In addition, my Department is working on the development of a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme and a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme, designed to assist in meeting our RES-E and RES-H targets. 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 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. The Biofuel Obligation Scheme (BOS) was increased from 6% to 8% by volume from 1 January 2017.  A public consultation on future increases to the BOS, required to meet the 2020 renewable transport target will take place later this year.

The 2014 National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development, which is underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, provides the high-level policy direction for the State to move to a low-carbon economy by 2050. The development of sectoral mitigation measures for the electricity generation, built environment, transport and agriculture sectors to be set out in a National Mitigation Plan (NMP) is nearing finalisation. The primary objective of the first NMP will be to monitor measures already underway and identify potential additional measures that, in the medium to longer term, will reduce GHG emissions. This will assist Ireland to achieve our national transition objective to become a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050.  The NMP will be submitted to Government for approval in June.