Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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155. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on Ireland’s capacity to meet its targets for wind and renewable energy; if he will report on his engagement with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18792/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action Plan 2021 includes a suite of actions to realise the full potential of Ireland’s onshore and offshore renewable energy resources including a commitment to the achievement of up to 8GW of installed onshore wind, up to 2.5GW of solar, and 5GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. Additionally, there is a further commitment to develop a longer-term plan to harness the estimated potential of at least 30GW of offshore floating wind power in our Atlantic waters. The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is one of the major Government policies to help deliver on the ambition in the Climate Action Plan 2021 of up to 80% renewable electricity by 2030. Over 1GW of new renewable generation was secured in the first RESS competition, including a number of onshore wind farms, which are due to reach commercial operation before the end of 2023.A significant volume of new renewable generation is expected to be secured in the RESS 2 auction which will take place next month.The Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act 2021 was developed last year, in close cooperation with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, to provide the legal underpinning to an entirely new marine planning system, which will balance harnessing our huge offshore wind potential with protecting our rich and unique marine environment. Earlier in 2022, my Department carried out a consultation on the proposed assessment criteria for the first batch of Maritime Area Consent (MAC) applications from a set of seven qualified Offshore Renewable Energy projects.

Alongside this, my Department have been drafting the terms and conditions for offshore wind-specific RESS auctions.  At least three offshore RESS auctions are currently planned for this decade

. A schedule of future auctions through to 2025 was published in December 2021 (set out below) so that generators can develop their projects with confidence to line up with these regular auctions ensuring a steady supply of projects to meet regional and national targets.

In addition, a supportive spatial planning framework for onshore wind and solar electricity generation development is absolutely critical to deliver on these ambitions. My Department is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to deliver on the measures and actions set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021 in this regard. This will include targets for the total renewable (onshore wind and solar) capacity that should be planned for on a national and regional level.