Renewable Energy Generation Targets

Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Questions (109)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

109. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the way in which he will ensure the stability and continued growth of the domestic renewables sector in view of the European Commission's adoption of new rules on state aid in order to expose the sector to regular market forces; how he will move from the current feed-in tariff arrangement to feed-in premiums over time; if he has prepared an assessment of the way the new rules will affect the Irish renewables industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18117/14]

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Written answers

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

The Government is fully committed to the delivery of the binding target of 16% of energy coming from renewable sources by 2020. In 2012, 19.6% of electricity demand was met by renewable generation, with 5.2% of heat and 2.4% of transport energy requirements coming from renewable sources. Overall, at the end of 2012, 7.1% of our energy was provided from renewable sources. The REFIT (Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff) schemes currently in place are the primary supports for the development of renewable electricity and which will deliver on Ireland's 2020 targets. These schemes have received State Aid approval from the European Commission and will not, therefore, be affected by the new rules adopted by the Commission last week. Any new support schemes that may be introduced for energy from renewable sources will be evaluated in the context of the Commission's guidelines.