Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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626. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of electricity generating power plants throughout the country with particular reference to fossil fuels, hydro, wind or wave; the generating capacity of each at present; the anticipated generating capacity within five years; the extent to which the national grid in the future will become dependent on reliable non-fossil fuels over a specific timescale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37856/18]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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633. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount of electricity generated from oil, coal, gas, biomass, solar, wind or wave generation; the extent to which this is expected to change within the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37863/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 626 and 633 together.

Details in relation to All-Island electricity system demand and fuel mix are publicly available on the EirGrid website at . This also includes information on the number, type and generating capacity of plants on the system.

The “All-Island Generation Capacity Statement”, also available on the EirGrid website at www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/4289_EirGrid_GenCapStatement_v9_web.pdfforecasts the likely balance between supply and demand for electricity between 2017 and 2026; this information was modelled for adequacy between supply and demand for electricity. Pages 14 to 17 of the report gives details of the fuel mix (2016) from different energy sources for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In 2016, 55,242 GWh of energy inputs were used to generate electricity in Ireland. This generated 29,413 GWh of electricity (net of exports). Figure 1 (below) shows the electricity inputs (energy sources) on the left and electricity generated (gross electricity consumption) on the right by fuel as percentages. Renewable generation consists of wind, hydro, landfill gas, biomass (including the renewable portion of wastes and a small amount of biodiesel) and other biogas.

Figure 1

Additional data can be found in the latest version of Energy in Ireland published by SEAI last December which can be found on its website at www.seai.ie/resources/publications/Energy-in-Ireland-1990-2016-Full-report.pdf. Sections 2.6 and 2.7 provide further statistics on Electricity Generation and Demand.

With regard to the projected electricity needed for the next five years, EirGrid published “Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios 2017 – Planning our Energy Future” in July 2017. The report developed four scenarios using stakeholder input and each scenario depicted a different possible future for the generation and consumption of electricity out to 2040. The scenarios will be reviewed every two years to take into account changes in the industry and energy environment. A copy of this 2017 report is available at www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/EirGrid-Tomorrows-Energy-Scenarios-Report-2017.pdf.

Ireland’s detailed policy measures and 2030 commitments on emissions reduction, renewable energy and energy efficiency will be set out in the upcoming first National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), a draft of which is due in December 2018. As part of the NECP drafting process, detailed energy and climate change modelling will examine energy and climate policy options out to 2030. This work is being undertaken by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency, under the National Energy and Modelling Framework, as part of the interdepartmental Technical Research and Modelling (TRAM) group.