Michael Colreavy
Question:98. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on whether the 2007 target of 500MW per year to be generated by ocean energy will be met. [53257/13]
View answerWednesday, 11 December 2013
Questions (98, 101)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:101. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the draft offshore renewable energy development plan. [53312/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 101 together.
Ireland has one of the best offshore renewable energy resources in Europe. Cost effective harnessing of the potential of this sector will be crucial to reducing our dependence on expensive fossil fuel imports, creating a low carbon energy system and delivering jobs in the green economy.
My Department is currently finalising an Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP), with a view to publication early in the new year. Informed by the findings of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the OREDP will identify how best to coordinate action across the environmental, energy and economic development policy areas in order to realise Ireland's abundant offshore renewable energy potential, using both offshore wind, and emerging ocean, renewable technologies.
Given the current state of readiness of ocean energy technology, the projections previously outlined for the sector to 2020 will not be achieved. Globally, the industry is at the pre-commercial stage. However, recent years have seen progress, including by indigenous developers, of some promising wave technology devices. While the sustainability and security of supply benefits of ocean energy will ultimately accrue to Ireland, with the right investment and support strategy, ocean energy also offers the potential for significant growth and employment in the medium to longer term. By investing in the early stages of the development of the sector, which will be a key deliverable of the forthcoming OREDP, a significant part of the value chain, with its associated employment benefits, could be captured.