Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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68. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the investment required in the national grid to deliver on Ireland’s renewable energy targets by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28352/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Achieving the Climate Action Plan 2021 target to produce up to 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 will entail investment of tens of billions of euro, including in the installation and maintenance of generation assets, and associated infrastructure and services at transmission and distribution level, as well as in the development of supply chains and port infrastructure. Matters relating to the cost and focus of grid investment are operational matters for EirGrid and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). EirGrid is the transmission system operator and its responsibilities include the appropriate development of the grid and power system to achieve our energy policy objectives and underpin economic development. The CRU is the independent energy regulator and, through a formal price review process (the most recent being Price Review 5 (PR5)), it decides on the appropriate spend by EirGrid and ESB Networks (as the distribution system operator) on a five-year basis.

The PR5 decision by the CRU in December 2020 signalled a significant and necessary increase in funds for grid enhancement. EirGrid already seeks to optimise the existing electricity grid to minimise the need for new infrastructure through upgrades, refurbishment or up-voltaging of existing infrastructure, where possible. However, in light of the Government's ambition to have up to 80% renewable electricity on the power system by 2030, and with demand profiles increasing as we continue to electrify more sectors of our economy, such as transport and heating, further investment in the power grid will be required over the coming decade.

The CRU issued a final determination for funding over the next five years to the end of 2025 which can be found on the CRU website. It indicates a capital investment of €4 billion across the transmission and distribution network.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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69. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the purchase of carbon credits for Ireland to meet Ireland’s renewable energy target in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28353/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland’s overall renewable energy target for 2020 was a minimum of 16%. SEAI forecasts, in November 2020, indicated that Ireland would not achieve its renewable energy target by 2020 and would instead have a shortfall of between 3-4%. On an ex-ante basis, statistical transfers were purchased at a cost of €50m, with 1,000 GWh purchased from Denmark at a cost of €12.5m and 2,500 GWh from Estonia at a cost of €37.5m. The final energy outturn for 2020, which became available in October 2021, confirmed that, prior to the purchase of statistical transfers from Denmark and Estonia, Ireland's energy use from renewable energy sources was 13.53%.

Following the purchase of statistical transfers, this resulted in Ireland achieving an outturn of 16.16%. Therefore, no further purchases were required, as the 2020 target had been met.