I do not need to wish Deputy Durkan, of all people, longevity here in this House.
The White Paper on Energy Policy has set out a vision for a low-carbon energy system in Ireland, where greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector will be reduced by between 80% and 95%, by comparison with 1990 levels, by 2050, and where alternative and renewable energy will play a dominant role in Ireland’s future energy mix. In addition, the programme for Government sets out a range of priority climate actions and interventions, a number of which have a direct bearing on the energy sector. In combination, these will help to increase and diversify Ireland’s renewable energy mix across the electricity, heating and transport sectors.
Work is now ongoing to examine the design and cost of introducing a new renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, to encourage the development of Ireland’s abundant and indigenous renewable energy resources. This scheme will examine the viability of supporting a range of new renewable energy technologies in Ireland, including solar, bioenergy and ocean energy, and will help to further reduce emissions in the electricity sector.
During this transition, maintaining a robust, secure electricity grid for the benefit of all electricity consumers will be paramount. EirGrid’s Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System, DS3, programme and the future energy scenario planning exercise will ensure the electricity network is designed to meet the transition to a low-carbon energy future in a secure manner.
In the heating sector, my Department is working on the introduction of a new renewable heat incentive, RHI, to support the deployment of renewable energy for commercial and industrial users of heat in the non-ETS sector. The primary aim of the RHI is to build on the progress already made in the renewable heat sector and help to reach Ireland's 12% renewable heat target by 2020. In 2015, it is estimated that 6.8% of heat was derived from renewable sources. The new RHI scheme is expected to become available in 2017.
In the transport sector, Ireland aims to meet its 10% renewables target mainly through the increased use of sustainable biofuels, with electric vehicles also making a small contribution, out to 2020. Provisional figures indicate 5.7% of our energy needs in the transport sector in 2015 were met from renewable sources. Our renewable transport target will be largely met through the biofuels obligation scheme, which has been in place since 2010. It will increase the percentage of biofuels in transport fuels between now and 2020.
The Government recognises the importance of fostering the development of other energy-related technologies, such as biomass, solar, energy efficiency technology, offshore technology and smart meters, all of which can support the future transition to a low-carbon energy future.