Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2004
107 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the amount of wind energy generation capacity connected to the grid; and the new capacity he expects to come on line in 2005. [31237/04]
View answer144 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the number of wind farms currently involved in energy production; the extent to which he expects them to play a role in supplies to the national grid in the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31228/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 144 together.
There are 37 onshore and one offshore wind projects constructed with a capacity of over 240 MW. These renewable energy based electricity plants have been supported, in the main, under the Department's alternative energy requirement, AER, programme. Other projects have been built with assistance from European Community programmes and under the liberalised electricity market for renewables.
New wind energy projects, representing approximately 200 MW, are under construction. These are located in counties Carlow, Cavan, Cork, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim and Wexford. Further projects are due to commence construction under the terms and conditions of the AER V and AER VI competitions. Wind energy projects may also be planned, or under construction, under the liberalised green electricity market, however, I have no details of these projects as they operate outside of the programmes run by my Department.
The promotion of renewable energy, of which wind energy is the predominant technology, is a key priority of the Government. The Green Paper on Sustainable Energy 1999 established a target to add 500 megawatts of new renewable energy based electricity generating plant to the electricity network by 2005. This target has since increased to 718 MWs.
The wind resource is random and cannot increase or decrease the electricity generated in immediate response to consumer demand. The current support target for wind powered projects does not raise serious technical issues for system stability. However, planning for future programmes at increased penetration levels of wind powered electricity generating plant does raise significant technical issues which must be addressed in order to maintain system security for electricity consumers.
The Commission for Energy Regulation, which is independent in the discharge of its functions, is currently examining issues of immediate relevance regarding the grid code for wind powered generators. In addition, in May of this year a renewable energy development group, chaired by my Department, was established. The group which includes Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, participation will advise on future options on policies, targets, programmes and support measures to develop the increased use of renewable energy in the electricity market to 2010 and beyond.
A major portion of the group's current work is to resolve the challenges arising from future increased connection of intermittent wind powered generating capacity to the electricity network. This group's report which is due before the end of this year will form the basis of my future policy proposals to further increase the penetration of renewable energy sources to electricity production.
