Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 January 2014
5. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the effect recent reports that the EU will reduce renewable energy targets post 2020 will have on the development of wind turbines and the extension of pylons here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4553/14]
View answerI welcome the Minister's intention to produce a Green Paper on energy in Ireland. If this leads to comprehensive policy on energy, I will work enthusiastically with the Minister on it and I look forward to it greatly. The European Union surprised me and many observers by deciding to scale back on the renewable energy targets for 2020. It would be instructive to probe into the reasons this decision was made but I do not have access to that information. Will such scaling back on the renewable energy targets by the European Union have an impact on our strategy, when we have one, in respect of renewable energy here? In particular, I refer to the matter on which Members have just spoken, namely, the outworking of the memorandum of understanding regarding the export of green energy to Britain.
In the first instance, it is important to state the paper published by the European Union last week does not in any way scale back on the 2020 targets. The 2020 targets remain extant across Europe and Ireland is still required to meet its target of 40% of electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020. Anything the European Union announced last week in respect of events post 2020 does not in any way affect the targets for 2020.
The European Commission published a package of documents last week, which includes a communication setting out its ambitions for a 2030 energy and climate framework. The Commission’s proposals include a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below the 1990 level, an EU-wide binding target for renewable energy of at least 27%, renewed ambitions for energy efficiency policies, a new governance system and a set of new indicators to ensure a competitive and secure energy system. It is not the case that the EU will reduce renewable energy targets post 2020, as suggested by the Deputy. On the contrary, the Commission's communication builds on the framework agreed for 2020, which set a target of 20% of energy in the EU to come from renewable sources. Considerable analysis of the Commission’s proposals is now required by all member states to ensure the framework allows for action that is cost-effective and does not place a disproportionate burden on EU energy consumers. Additionally, the Commission will be working closely with member states to ensure that each member state develops and implements a national plan for competitive, secure and sustainable energy. These plans will require each member state to set out how it will contribute to achieving the EU binding target for renewable energy of at least 27%.
The Government's overriding energy policy objective is to ensure secure, sustainable and competitive energy supplies for the economy and society. Renewable energy has a critical role to play in achieving this objective. The sector provides a real and sustainable economic opportunity for Ireland both in terms of further developing a sustainable, indigenous source of energy and, potentially, as a clean export.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
The Government remains fully committed to delivery of the target of 16% of energy coming from renewable sources by 2020. It continues to make progress across all three areas and particularly in electricity, where Ireland has set its own target of 40% of electricity coming from renewable sources by 2020. In 2012, 19.6% of electricity demand was met by renewable generation. It is critical that every effort is maintained if we are to reach the 16% target for 2020, as it would provide the solid foundation on which to build in order to reach the 2030 objectives.
To date wind energy has been the largest driver of growth in renewable electricity, contributing most towards the achievement of the 2020 target. In 2012, 15.3% of electricity demand was met by wind generation. At the end of 2013, the total amount of renewable generation connected to the grid was 2,300 MW. It is estimated that a total of between 3,500 and 4,000 MW of onshore renewable generation capacity will be required to allow Ireland to meet its 40% renewable electricity target. Currently, approximately 3,000 MW of new generation, the bulk of which is renewable, has taken up connection offers under the Gate 3 grid connection programme.
With regard to the question of the impact on the grid of further renewable energy development, expert technical analysis clearly shows the need for reinforcement and upgrading of the high voltage transmission network to ensure secure, reliable power supplies for all to underpin economic development and to realise the potential of Ireland's clean indigenous, sustainable renewable energy resources. However, as I have stated many times previously, the concerns of local communities must be at the heart of infrastructure development. Early, ongoing and transparent communication is critical if vital energy infrastructure is to be delivered and to ensure these benefits are realised for all citizens.
I am sure the Minister was going to get to the point regarding the question I asked, namely, will this have an impact on the outworking of the memorandum of understanding between ourselves and Britain? I am sure that were I a negotiator on the British side, I would be seeking to ascertain what will happen here after 2020 and how this might have an impact on the cost and financial arrangements in connection with that memorandum of understanding. A huge programme of work is envisaged with regard to turbines and pylons all over the place, which is causing a great deal of public disquiet. Yet, the principles underlying this appear to be that post 2020, the negotiations will be different following this announcement from the European Union. What impact does the Minister believe it will have on the aforementioned negotiations and on the potential benefits to be gained by both Ireland and Britain? Have those potential benefits been changed following the European Union announcement?
One of these days, Deputy Colreavy must tell me where he stands on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. If we are to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and if we are to move towards decarbonisation of the electricity system, we must then reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and must use more renewable sources. I repeat for the tenth time this morning, that the improvement to the grid has nothing to do with whether there is an export project to Britain because, as I indicated in the last exchange with Deputy Moynihan, it is a separate technology underground to plug into the British grid and so on. The reason the grid is being strengthened in Ireland, on the advice of the expert State agency with responsibility for the delivery of an infrastructure fit for purpose, is to maintain economic progress in Ireland, to disperse employment to the regions and to ensure we have a system that is capable of doing precisely what I stated at the outset, that is, to reduce Ireland's dependence on fossil fuels, which cost us €6 billion per annum to import, as we are net importers. It also is to ensure that Ireland had a transmission system that is capable of exploiting a highly valuable renewable indigenous resource we happen to have in plenty here and this is what the Government is seeking to do in this regard.
I wholeheartedly endorse the Government's intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is a project I wish to see work and the reason I ask these questions, put forward proposals and am constantly talking about the need for a national strategy is precisely because I wish to see this work. However, when I see proposals for 2,500 turbines, the energy from which is to go elsewhere, I must be sure the Irish people will get considerable payback on that. I repeat the problem I have outlined from the outset, which is that on the one hand, companies are paying big bucks to buy and lease land while on the other hand, the Government tells me no financial arrangements have yet been agreed, planning guidelines must be considered and discussed and that it is up to the companies in question if they wish to take a chance in this regard. However, such companies are not taking chances. Decisions have already been made and neither I nor the Irish people have been told what arrangements have been put in place. That is my problem in this regard.
I agree entirely with Deputy Colreavy that if we are to open a new traded sector in green energy, the benefit must redound to the Irish nation. I could not agree more and that is what I have been explaining since I got on my feet this morning. This is the reason painstaking attention must be devoted to negotiating an intergovernmental agreement because unless there is benefit to Ireland, there will not be an agreement. In fairness, I believe this is an advance on Deputy Colreavy's position. The position of some of his party colleagues, including in the midlands, is that they are opposed to selling energy to the Brits.
I have tried to explain before that I cannot see the difference between trying to sell them beef or tomatoes or briquettes and selling them energy. I know that no responsibility in our parliamentary and governance system attaches to individual Deputies. Any night one tunes into "Tonight with Vincent Browne" one will hear them talking nonsense-----
The Government talks nonsense.
-----on subjects on which they do not bother to inform themselves. They do not have to take any responsibility. If one does have to take responsibility for something it has to be done patiently and with great care.
Deputy Colreavy knows that I cannot stop anybody buying land from anybody else in Ireland. My fellow county man attempted to collectivise the land in the eighteenth century. He did not quite succeed. He ended up giving the seal of approval to peasant proprietorship and we have lived with the implications of that ever since and there are many people in the country who would say that was a great step forward. To underline the point, if anybody wants to go to Deputy Colreavy’s part of the country or any part of the country to buy options on land I cannot do anything about it. They have to make their own decisions according to their own judgment and their own commercial opportunity. There would be uproar if I sought to prevent people selling them land and doing business.
