asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the existing annual energy requirements of the country; and the likely anticipated growth in energy demands over the next five years.
Written Answers. - Energy Requirements.
337.
Our energy requirements in 1976, the latest year for which definitive information is available, amounted to 7.046 million tonnes of oil equivalent. The estimated figure for 1977 is 7.530 million tonnes of oil equivalent.
Our estimated energy requirements for 1978 and following years, based on the best information at present available, are as follows:—
|
(millions of tonnes of oil equivalent) |
|
|
1978 |
8.070 |
|
1979 |
8.660 |
|
1980 |
9.310 |
|
1981 |
10.030 |
|
1982 |
10.830 |
338.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the existing energy supplies available to this country from native resources.
The native resources at present in use are turf, coal and hydro-electricity.
Details of the contribution made by these sources to total energy requirements during the year 1976, the latest year for which final figures are available, are set out in a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.
The following is the statement.
|
Energy Source |
Total Consumption during 1976 toe* |
Consumption as a percentage of total requirements |
|
Turf |
1,186,000 |
16.83 |
|
Coal |
43,000 |
.61 |
|
Hydro electricity |
162,000 |
2.30 |
|
TOTAL |
1,391,000 |
19.74 |
* toe = tons oil equivalent.
Natural gas from the Kinsale Head field will become available later this year.
339.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the energy contents of the existing bogland under utilisation by Bord na Móna; and the probable duration in terms of years of that energy source.
I am informed by Bord na Móna that the total energy content of existing bogland under utilisation by the board, including bogs being developed under the Third Development Programme, amounts to 160 million tonnes of milled peat and 8 million tonnes of sod peat. This is equal to 32 million tonnes of oil equivalent. The probable duration of this energy source is up to the year 2020.
340.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the percentage of the country's energy needs that are currently met from hydro-electric sources; and the capacity that exists for extending the overall supply of this energy within the country.
I am informed by the ESB that the number of units of electricity generated from existing hydro sources in the year ended 31 March 1977 represented 8 per cent of total electricity generation from all sources. There appear to be no other major sources of hydro-electric power which could be economically exploited at the present time, but every possibility in this area is being examined.