Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
1568. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the current electricity generating capacity derived from biomass, wind, hydro or micro-generated; the extent to which export substitution with consequent economic benefit continues to be achieved arising from the use of alternative energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32298/15]
View answer1574. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which the total amount of alternative electricity generation achieved to date and to express this as a percentage of total requirements in respect of carbon reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32304/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1568 and 1574 together.
The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020 and, in order to meet this target, Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, 12% renewables in the heating sector and 10% in transport. Ireland has made good progress with regard to renewable energy deployment. To date, wind energy has been the largest driver of growth in renewable electricity. Provisional figures provided by the SEAI for 2014 show that 8.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirement was met by renewable energy. In addition, SEAI has calculated that 22.6% of electricity, 6.7% of heat and 5.2% of transport were met from renewable sources.
In 2014, 22.6% of gross electricity generation was from renewables with the sub-categories listed in the following table.
|
Renewables % of Gross Electricity |
22.6% |
|
Hydro (normalised) |
2.6% |
|
Wind (normalised) |
18.2% |
|
Biomass |
1.2% |
|
Landfill Gas |
0.5% |
|
Biogas |
0.1% |
With regard to import substitution, our progress to date has already had a significant impact on the fossil fuel imports and carbon intensity of our economy. A report published by the SEAI in 2014, "Energy in Ireland 1990 - 2013" looking at fuel and CO2 emissions noted that renewable electricity generation displaced 778 kilo tonnes of oil equivalent of fossil fuel, with an associated saving of almost 2 million tonnes of CO2. The respective monetary savings were €245 million and €15 million. Furthermore, the SEAI report noted that energy related CO2 emissions fell by 3.8% and that the carbon intensity of electricity dropped to a new low of 469 grams of CO2 per kilo watt hour in 2013.
This transition has continued with the SEAI estimating that the use of indigenous renewables for electricity generation in 2014 avoided an estimated €254 million in fossil fuel imports, achieved in spite of a reduction in fossil fuel prices in the intervening period since 2012.
