Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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68. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the degree to which he remains satisfied regarding the attainment of objectives in respect of carbon reduction within the time specified; if he has had discussions with his EU colleagues with a view to avoiding the imposition of fines; if a particular issue has been identified as being central to the provision of alternative energy such as wind, hydro or solar; if particular efforts are being made to accelerate such a programme; if the location of wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean is likely to be feasible; if he expects adequate production from renewable electricity generating sources such as those outlined based on experience to date; if further interventions are required with a view to gaining access to and maintaining a supply to the international grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37532/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The latest projections of greenhouse gas emissions, published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in May 2018, indicate that emissions from those sectors of the economy covered by the 2009 Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC (ESD) could be between 0% and 1% below 2005 levels by 2020.

While this is deeply disappointing, it is not surprising given the recent pace of economic growth, and the consequent increases in emissions from the agriculture and transport sectors in particular. The projected shortfall to our targets is further exacerbated by both the constrained investment capacity over the past decade due to the economic crisis, and the extremely challenging nature of the target itself. Nevertheless, the Government is committed to tackling climate change as a critical issue. The National Development Plan (NDP) commits almost €22 billion to address the transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient society. In addition, the NDP allocated a further €8.6 billion for investments in sustainable mobility. This capital investment will enable Ireland to deliver a significant reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions over the period to 2030.

The Effort Sharing Directive (ESD) established binding annual greenhouse gas emissions targets for EU Member States for the period 2013 to 2020. Ireland’s 2020 target is that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005. The Directive includes a number of flexibility mechanisms to enable Member States to meet their annual emissions targets. Using banked emissions allocations from the period to 2015, Ireland is projected to comply with its emissions reduction targets in each of the years 2013 to 2017. However, cumulative emissions are projected to exceed annual targets for 2018, 2019 and 2020, which will result in a requirement to purchase additional allowances.  While this purchasing requirement is not expected to be significant, further analysis is ongoing to quantify the likely costs involved.

In terms of renewable energy, 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. This represented a 12.9 percentage point increase on Ireland's reference starting point of 3.1% in 2005, and was the third highest increase for any of the 28 Member States of the European Union. 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.

Good progress has been made to date, with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) advising that 10.8% of Ireland's overall energy requirements in 2017 were met from renewable sources; with a projected 2020 outcome range of 12.8% to 14% - that is, Ireland is expected to reach between 80-90+% of its 2020 target. The policy focus is on the implementation of new renewable energy measures, such as the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) and the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) to assist our efforts to accelerate the low carbon energy transition.

Contingency planning has also commenced to explore the potential mechanisms and cost of addressing our renewable energy targets within the framework of the Directive. The Renewable Energy Directive makes explicit provision for  countries to work together  to enable targets to be met and one mechanism involving statistical transfers allows Member States to reach their target by purchasing credits from Member States that overachieve on their renewable targets to make up any shortfall. Any purchases arising would be made over a number of years and the cumulative costs would not be known until 2021. The Department is considering various Member States who may be in surplus and informal discussions have taken place with a number of them.

The 2014 Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) sets out the Government’s policy for the sustainable development of our abundant offshore renewable energy resources. Offshore renewable energy covers a number of technology types and includes wind (fixed and floating), wave and tidal, all of which rely on harnessing the motion of wind or water to generate energy.  Of these technology types fixed offshore wind has reached the commercial stage, while floating wind, wave and tidal technology are still at the experimental stage globally. Floating wind has the potential to be deployed in deeper waters and as such could have potential for development off the south and west coasts of Ireland. Bottom fixed wind turbines are limited to relatively shallow waters. To date, Ireland has only one offshore fixed wind farm generating electricity in Irish waters.

Between 2014 and 2017 capital funding of €17.7 million was allocated by my Department under the OREDP for research and development of offshore renewable energy technology, with a further €4.5 million allocated in 2018. Government funding supports Ireland’s commitment to world class test facilities and infrastructure including the full-scale Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS), off the coast of Mayo. 

In addition to Exchequer funding, the provision of a robust consenting regime, support scheme and development of an offshore grid policy are particularly pertinent in supporting our ambition for offshore renewable energy activities.

The RESS was approved by Government in July and will now be subject to the EU state aid approval process. The first RESS auction will be held in 2019. The new Scheme has been designed to incentivise sufficient new renewable electricity generation to deliver Ireland’s contribution to the EU wide renewable energy target of 32% for 2030. Technology diversity, including solar PV and offshore wind, will occur naturally as the scheme matures and certain intervention levers may be used within each auction round to promote certain policy objectives such as community participation, community ownership and diversifying the renewable energy mix.

Legislative proposals have been led by the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government to draft the Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill, including provisions to address the absence of a regulatory framework to regulate offshore renewable energy developments beyond the limits of the foreshore (12 nautical miles). If we are to attract investment in the offshore renewable energy sector, it is critical that a robust, streamlined consenting regime is provided to regulate activities in the maritime area.

My Department will also commence discussions later in the year to develop offshore grid connection policy in conjunction with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and Eirgrid. The CRU have already published their Enduring Connection Policy (ECP) Phase I which takes into account shovel ready onshore projects. Phase II of the ECP is expected to include offshore applications for grid connections. Ireland is also a member of the North Seas Energy Cooperation Initiative at EU level. The key objective of this project is to enhance coordination and integration of national efforts of renewable deployment in addition to offshore grid planning.

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.