Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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130. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to outline the Government's policy in relation to the development of infrastructure for the commercial import of LNG; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44643/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As set out in the Government’s ‘Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas' the government does not support the importation of fracked gas. Ireland is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In future, most of our energy needs will be met by renewable energy which will be the anchor of our energy security.

The sole consideration by this Government of Liquified Natural Gas facilities is in the context of energy security. The Government does not support the commercial import of LNG as the development of infrastructure for the commercial import of LNG would be inconsistent with the decarbonisation trajectory established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, as amended.

The Government policy in relation to energy security is set out in 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' report which was approved and published in November 2023. The report determines that Ireland’s natural gas supplies and infrastructure are adequate to meet our demand projections. However, Ireland does not have adequate resilience in case of a major disruption to our sub-sea gas imports pipelines and does not currently meet minimum EU standards in this area.

It is in this context only that a state-led Liquified Gas Facility was recommended in the Report.

A state-led strategic gas emergency reserve, operating on a non-commercial basis for use only in the event of an emergency, would provide resilience to the gas system and mitigate against the major consequences for our society and our economy that would arise from a significant gas supply disruption in Ireland.

Gas Networks Ireland are undertaking a detailed analysis of the strategic gas emergency reserve. In parallel my Department are developing the appropriate policy and legislative measures to ensure the facility would provide the resilience to our energy system in a manner that:

does not inadvertently increase gas demand by increasing the supply available on the market;

is compatible with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act and

does not support the importation of Fracked Gas.

This work is continuing as a matter of priority; however, it requires additional analysis before returning to Government.

The reasons that additional analysis is required are that a number of factors which informed the original proposal have changed. These include the anticipated timescale delivery of a gas reserve, the impact of interconnection and the potential for further interconnection, the rapid development and installation of batteries and other energy storage, and the new, more ambitious 2040 climate targets being proposed by the Commission. Therefore I have asked my Department to commission analysis on these and on other relevant factors including the potential to rely on oil-fired generation at Moneypoint, increased distillate storage at or connected to existing gas generation, and regulatory moves to transition from gas.

The alternative approaches to energy security solutions could provide significant longer term economic, climate, and security benefits that a floating regasification and storage unit would not provide.

I have asked my Department, when the analysis is available, to make it public for consultation in light of the importance of public participation in environmental decision-making and our commitments in that regard in the Aarhus Convention.

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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131. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what analysis he and his Department are undertaking or commissioning in relation to alternative means to improving energy security other than a floating regasification and storage unit in the context of Ireland's decarbonisation obligations and plans, and whether the analysis will be subject to public consultation given the importance of public participation in environmental decision-making to which we have committed in the Aarhus Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44644/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department completed a study in 2022 with CEPA on energy security (Technical Analysis of the Security of Energy Supply of Ireland’s Electricity and Natural Gas Systems). The Final Energy security review titled “Energy Security in Ireland to 2030” recommended an additional entry point for gas in the form of a Floating Regasification and Storage Unit (FRSU) to satisfy the N-1 infrastructure standard (i.e. the loss of the largest importing infrastructure, without loss of load). The assumptions underpinning this were based on the period of 2028-2030 being of most critical importance.

The following have subsequently happened/ become apparent:

Actual electricity flows with GB are distinctly different in 2023 and 2024 from that predicted by CEPA (i.e. a prediction that we would be exporting 97% of the time in 2025.)

Battery storage is currently about 3 times that predicted in the CEPA analysis for 2025.

Two interconnectors, with France and UK, are in construction. Two other interconnectors with UK are now in regulatory processes. Proposals are being developed for two further interconnectors with the Continent.

Solar is growing much faster than predicted, and continuing to accelerate.

New, more ambitious 2040 climate targets are being proposed by the Commission, bringing up the question of whether we’ll be taking most or all of the actions which would constitute an alternative to the LNG FRSU anyway.

The timeline for delivery of the FRSU would be 2031, and given the potential difficulty through the development process, this could be optimistic.

Therefore, I have asked my Department to update the analysis to consider the issues above and also the following

• Further additional policy options, e.g. regulation to phase out the use of fossil heat for less than 200 degrees in industry by 2035 and for commercial and residential buildings from 2045. The context for these regulatory steps includes both the energy security risks associated with the use of gas in the Irish context, and emissions.
• The retention as an available backup of Moneypoint in oil-fired mode for longer than previously anticipated.
• The potential to increase the feasibility of distillate operation of gas plants including by increasing storage and by connecting power plants to existing storage at suitable locations.
• The potential for the batteries in EVs to be relied on to supply the grid in times of crisis.
• The potential cost savings, should storage and interconnection enable scaling back the peak electricity generation capacity which is currently being procured at great cost.

I have asked my Department, when the analysis is available, to make it public for consultation in light of the importance of public participation in environmental decision-making and our commitments in that regard in the Aarhus Convention.