Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2012
652. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the level of engagement regarding the development of a renewable energy European supergrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48674/12]
View answer653. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the level of engagement of the European Investment Bank in the development of the renewable energy European supergrid and the way he is engaging with the European Investment Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48675/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 653 together.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is available to offer financing to Irish companies that are involved in developing renewable energy projects and infrastructure, e.g. some of the financing for the East West Interconnector was through a loan from the EIB. The EIB has also provided some loans to commercial developers of renewable energy projects in Ireland. The companies negotiate directly with the EIB themselves and I have no role in the process.
To develop the offshore grid sector, in December 2010, Ireland, along with 9 other countries, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the North Seas Offshore Grid Initiative (NSOGI). A copy of the Memorandum is available on the Department’s website. The parties agreed they would work towards facilitating strategic, coordinated development of the offshore and onshore grids in the Northern European Seas to ensure more cost effective and sustainable development.
Since then, the parties to the agreement have been actively working through a number of working groups on aspects to take forward the goals expressed in the Memorandum. Ireland has been represented on all 3 working groups and has been a co-chair along with the UK of the market and regulatory group. The Programme Board intends to put a report on the work of the groups to Ministers who are meeting on 3rd December.
In October 2011, the European Commission tabled a comprehensive package to enhance trans-European infrastructure development in the areas of transport, energy and information society. The trans-European energy infrastructure guidelines identify twelve priority corridors and thematic areas that must be implemented in the coming decade to help the EU meet its short and longer term energy and climate objectives. To translate these corridors and areas into concrete projects, the guidelines include a new way of identifying energy infrastructure projects that can receive the label of Projects of Common Interest (PCI), which are necessary to implement these priority corridors and areas.
The NSORI is among 10 priority corridors that have been identified as follows:
“Northern Seas offshore grid (“NSOG”): integrated offshore electricity grid in the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the English Channel, the Baltic Sea and neighbouring waters to transport electricity from renewable offshore energy sources to centres of consumption and storage and to increase cross-border electricity exchange.
Member States concerned: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom;”
The infrastructure package is currently being negotiated in the EU. Negotiations are expected to conclude by end year with a view to publication of the relevant legislative instruments in 2013. The final amount of funding available under the energy infrastructure package will be subject to budgetary negotiations and agreement in the context of the EU multi-annual financial framework for 2014-2020.
