A joint study commissioned by my Department and the Department of Economic Development, Belfast, assessing the offshore wind energy resource in the island of Ireland will be published and will facilitate developers interested in assessing off-shore options. The study is nearing completion and will be published before the end of the year.
Government policy is to create the circumstances and conditions that will stimulate the deployment of renewable sources of energy, including wind energy, where they have the prospect of being economically and socially attractive. To this end, I am in the process of establishing a renewable energy strategy group to examine all aspects of, and obstacles to, the further deployment of renewable energy technologies.
Permission to site wind farms at any land based site is a matter for the local planning authority or ultimately An Bórd Pleanála.
Applicants in the alternative energy requirement – AER – competitions are free to develop joint ventures. My Department does not provide direct grant assistance to wind farm developers nor does it identify potential joint partners. Financial support is offered by way of the guaranteed price regime which the Electricity Supply Board commits to in the associated purchase contract for the electricity generated. In addition, some successful AER winners, who are located throughout the country, can apply for European Regional Development Fund grant aid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the competitions.
