The renewables directive, Directive 2001/77/EC, obliges Ireland to develop and implement a programme capable of increasing the amount of electricity from renewable energy sources to 13.2% of total consumption by 2010. The target of 13.2% approximates to 1,450 MW of installed generating capacity to be operational to the electricity network by 2010. Ireland has approximately 765 MW of renewable capacity connected. This consists of approximately 495 MW of wind powered plant, 240 MW of hydro-powered plant with the balance of approximately 30 MW made up of different biomass technologies.
The additional new capacity required to achieve the 1,450 MW target will be delivered by projects under the previous AER V and AER VI competitions and the new renewable energy feed in tariff REFIT programme. Wind energy will be the dominant technology in achieving the target. As an island nation the facility to export electricity directly to Europe is not in place. However, the Government is fully committed to the development of east-west electricity interconnection as a matter of priority. The Commission for Energy Regulation has been engaged in a process of rigorous exploration of the options for such development and I expect to receive advice from the Commission on next steps shortly.