Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
88. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he expects Ireland to reach its renewable targets for 2020, as set out by European Union law; and the recommendations that will be contained in the White Paper on energy to reach these targets. [31916/15]
View answerCuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. Does the Minister of State expect that Ireland will reach its renewable energy targets for 2020 as set out by the European Union? What recommendations will be contained in the White Paper on energy to ensure that we reach those targets?
The 2009 EU renewable energy directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. To meet this target, Ireland is committed to providing 40% of its electricity energy, 12% of its heating energy and 10% of its transport power from renewable sources. Provisional figures provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland for 2014 show that 8.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirement was met by renewable energy. While the progress to date is encouraging, significant challenges remain, especially in the heat and transport sectors. Meeting our renewable electricity targets will require the delivery of critical grid infrastructure and the construction of additional renewable electricity generation capacity.
To further support the use of renewable electricity and heat, the Department launched two separate consultations on 31 July 2015 on support schemes, one for renewable electricity and one for a proposed renewable heat incentive. While the initial phase of both consultations closed on 18 September 2015, there will be two further opportunities to contribute at key stages in the design of any new scheme. Subject to Government approval and state aid clearance from the European Commission, the new schemes will become available in 2016.
Ireland aims to meet its target for renewable transport mainly through the use of sustainable biofuels. Increasing usage of electric vehicles will also make a contribution. Further increases to the obligation rate in the biofuels obligation scheme will be required in the context of achieving our 2020 target. The Minister, Deputy White, intends to initiate a consultation on this over the coming weeks.
The Minister is finalising a White Paper on energy policy, which will be published by the end of the year. The overall objective of the White Paper is to provide a coherent joined-up policy statement aimed at ensuring that Ireland has a modern, sustainable, secure and cost-effective integrated energy system which will support the transition to a largely decarbonised society and economy by 2050. The White Paper will be set in the context of broader EU energy policy, as recently articulated in both the Energy Union strategy and the EU 2030 climate and energy framework document for coherent climate and energy policies.
Reaching our targets is not simply something we have to do; it is something we should be doing. A lack of energy strategy has caused us to fall behind somewhat on our targets at the minute. It was scary to see the kind of ham-fisted attempt that was made to impose the massive wind farms in the midlands with little real discussion with the people living in the midlands. I expect the White Paper on energy will give clear guidelines on how we will approach our energy needs in the coming years in a way that respects and enjoys the support of the citizens of this land.
Will it take into account the prediction last weekend from the chief executive of the ESB that one third of Irish households will be generating their own electricity and moving towards self-sufficiency within ten years? Will this aspect be taken into account in the White Paper? What impact will that have on our ability to reach the targets?
I share Deputy Colreavy's concerns on the need for joined-up thinking and the need to put a plan in place. My predecessor, the former Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, worked very hard on a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom that did not come to fruition. It is off the agenda now. A good deal of focus went into that at the time. Anyway, the White Paper is an opportunity to pursue the agenda of the three main pillars, namely, security of supply, competitiveness, and - this relates to Deputy Colreavy's second point - self-sufficiency over a period. As I have said before, we have to learn from the mistakes of the past.
Mistakes were made in the approach by the private sector regarding what went on in the midlands, such as the forward planning announcements of vast numbers of turbines without consulting the community. If any lesson can be learned from that, it should be that we should be big and mature enough to put up our hands. If we are to have an energy supply challenge, we will need to develop the grid in a mature and responsible way, in consultation with communities.
I thank the Minister of State. I assume the White Paper will also cover aspects of retrofitting and maximising the efficiency of dwellings and businesses.
On wind turbines, in the absence of revised guidelines there is still a very great fear that the old guidelines are being used by companies that are imposing wind turbines on populations. I argued at the time that there should be a moratorium on the development of industrial scale wind turbine farms - I am not referring to individual or small numbers of wind turbines - until such time as the new guidelines were put in place. If we go through another episode of imposing unwanted solutions on a captive population, it will do a disservice to the development of renewable energy in the nation.
I am concerned to hear that there may be differences of opinion between the Departments of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Environment, Community and Local Government on, for example, set-back distances. Will the Minister of State comment on that aspect?
On possible new schemes in 2016, following consultation, there will be the possibility of funding schemes for SMEs and households for things such as renewable heat incentives. Once those proposals and policies come to the fore, we will be in a position to elaborate further on them.
On tensions between Departments, I do not see what happened as a tension. There is ongoing engagement and it is important to note that all of the experience of the past has to be part of the conversations on new guidelines.
On whether we can put a moratorium on any type of development between periods of time, there are inherent challenges. The biggest lesson we can learn has two fronts. First, the community has to be pivotal in the conversation and local authorities can play a major role in that regard. Second, there is a great opportunity for communities to have self-sustaining energy production. I was in a secondary school a number of months ago which has an electricity bill of around €10,000 a year. If it had the option of generating and providing its own electricity, it would be a win-win from community, security of supply and affordability points of view. A lot of very concrete and competent submissions have been made to the White Paper at a community level. That is where we must have a focus.
