Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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226. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on the inclusion of the Shannon LNG project on the projects of common interest list compiled in Brussels on 4 October 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41393/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is one of the most dependant countries on fossil fuels. The Climate Action Plan sets out the necessary actions we must take to significantly cut our use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, in transport and in heating. The Government has a fundamental duty to protect Ireland’s energy security. In the next decade we will fully exit from peat and coal for electricity generation and we will go from 30% renewable electricity today to 70% renewable electricity in 2030. In making these critical changes, we must ensure that our energy security is maintained. It is critical to protecting our people, our homes, our farms, our hospitals and our businesses.

In reaching 70% renewable electricity in 2030, the balance will still have to be generated from fossil fuels,and from interconnectors/battery storage in 2030. Back-up supply will be needed in particular when the wind isn’t blowing and when the sun isn’t shining. For example, in a recent 30 day period, 25% of Ireland’s electricity was provided by wind generation. However, over this same period, one day had only 4% of our electricity provided by wind and on another day it provided 62% of our electricity.

This back up supply is likely to be provided by gas. This view was backed in the recent advice of the Climate Change Advisory Council that said the continued exploration for, and recovery of new offshore natural gas reserves can be consistent with a low carbon transition.

However, we will carry out a comprehensive energy security review. It will consider, in a scientific way, how and from where fossil fuels are sourced during a transition to a carbon neutral economy. This review will consider: how we generate electricity when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining, the role for battery storage and the role for gas powered back up; the role of interconnection (both gas and electricity); and other ways to back up our power supply.

The Shannon LNG project is a private commercial project and any decisions on the future development of this project are matters for the project promoter. This has been designated as a project of common interest by the European Commission for 6 years: in 2013 and again in 2015, and 2017. There has been public consultation carried out by the European Commission when each list was being drawn up, and citizens, organisations and public authorities were invited to submit feedback on the inclusion of projects. The European Commission also carried out a public consultation in drawing up the draft 2019 list.

Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) are key infrastructure projects aimed at completing the European energy market in order to help the EU achieve its energy policy and climate objectives of affordable, secure and sustainable energy for all citizens, as well as the long-term decarbonisation of the economy in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

While Ireland has continued to support the inclusion of the Shannon LNG Project on the 4th PCI list as it enhances our energy security by increasing import route diversity, I have indicated that the government will only consider any future applications for EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding for LNG projects after a security of supply review has been completed and considered by the Government and the Dáil, and only if the projects are consistent with national and EU climate policy objectives.

In that context, Ireland also enquired from the EU Commission whether the implications of importing LNG to the European Union, from conventional and unconventional fracked sources, have been examined in terms of a sustainable, secure and competitive European energy policy. The Commission advised that it had launched a study on methane emissions and agreed with the need to link gas imports to the objective of a climate neutral economy.