Government targets are to increase the contribution from renewable energy sources to the electricity market to 15% by 2010 and 40% by 2020.
In January 2008 I announced a tariff for a new offshore wind category within the REFIT support programme for new renewable energy projects. The REFIT programme imposes qualifying conditions and timelines for the completion of projects. In December last the Commission for Energy Regulation published a decision on Gate 3 connection requests which includes a number of offshore wind-powered projects. I am now awaiting comments from key stakeholders on the appropriate timelines within the REFIT programme, to apply to the offshore wind energy category. These timelines must reflect the timelines for the delivery of connections to offshore projects notified to project developers in the first instance.
I also announced in 2008, an Ocean Energy Strategy to harness emerging wave and tidal powered technologies, which are moving from the research phase to prototype deployment, within a three year cycle. The Ocean Energy Development Unit has been established within Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to manage the ocean energy package. I am pleased to confirm that all components of the package are now under way and are being progressed by SEI.
