Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015
844. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in the context of a national energy policy, if consideration was given to energy conservation as an alternative to additional electricity generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23738/15]
View answerThe over-arching objective of Ireland's energy policy is to deliver secure, competitive and sustainable supplies of energy to all consumers. Energy efficiency has a central role to play in meeting this objective. Improving the efficiency with which we use energy is already delivering real environmental, social and economic benefits for Ireland. This is why energy efficiency will be a key element of the Energy White Paper which I will publish in October. The Energy White Paper will set out the strategy for Ireland's sustainable energy transition. Achieving this transition requires us to meet the challenge of significantly reducing our harmful emissions while ensuring all of our energy needs are met. While the scale of the effort required to do this cannot be met by energy efficiency alone, energy efficiency has a central role to play as part of a range of measure, which must also include increasing our use of renewable energy. Ultimately, energy efficiency measures, whether in heating, in transport, or in use of electricity, along with continued smart grid development, will deliver the means through which demand can be reduced and made more flexible.
Roll out of smart grid technologies will also allow us to increase the levels of renewable electricity generation with consequent benefits for the sustainability of our electricity generation portfolio. This position is fully aligned with both the EU and the International Energy Agency (IEA), which see energy efficiency as critical to facilitating the integration of greater levels of renewable electricity generation and achieving a cost effective transition to a sustainable energy system.
