Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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153. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the action the Government is taking to expand the role wave and tidal energy can play in Ireland's renewable energy generation; the estimated energy generation potential both have off the Irish coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56439/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Due to Ireland’s peripheral location at the edge of the Atlantic, with a sea area of 490,000 square kilometres that is approximately 7 times its landmass, Ireland has considerable, but as yet undeveloped, offshore renewable energy (ORE) potential.

In 2014, the first Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan identified 27.5-31.1GW potential developable wave resource, in both shallow (10m to 100m depth) and deeper water (100m to 200m depth). In comparison, the overall potential tidal energy resource is much more constrained, ranging between 1.5GW to 3GW. Work on a revised Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDPII) has been initiated by my Department. As part of the OREDPII process, revised estimates are being prepared to consider changes to wave and tidal technologies since 2014. The OREDPII will also guide strategic decision-making on ORE development post-2030, providing an evidence base for the identification of the most suitable areas for the sustainable development of fixed and floating wind, wave, and tidal technologies in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone, while also considering other maritime activities and marine biodiversity.

The Government is supporting the development of Ireland’s ORE industries. From a regulatory perspective, the National Marine Planning Framework, published in 2021, brings together all marine-based human activities for the first time, outlining the government’s vision, objectives and marine planning policies for each marine activity, including ORE. The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 provides the legal underpinning to an entirely new marine planning system, which will balance harnessing our huge offshore wind potential while protecting our rich and unique marine environment.

Furthermore, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) offers a number of supports to the wave and tidal energy industries, including a joint SEAI-UCC industry access programme that provides fully-funded access to the UCC MaREI Lir National Ocean Test Facility, and calls for Research Development and Demonstration Funding.