asked the Minister for Energy if he is aware of recent American claims that soya bean oil is being successfully mixed with diesel fuel; and whether there is any similar potential for extracts from any Irish grown crops.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Energy Production Experiments .
1.
: Soya bean oil is being experimentally mixed with diesel oil in the USA, but not, so far as is known, on a proven commercial scale. It is likely that competing uses for soya bean oil would make it uneconomic as a fuel extender.
The most likely sources of oil from crops grown in Ireland are from oil-seed rape or flax. However, oils from these sources have other uses, for example linseed oil is used in paints. Oil-seed rape is used in animal feed and is supported by the common agriculture policy. The use of these oils as a fuel extender would not be economic at present price levels.
2.
asked the Minister for Energy if any studies are being undertaken on wave and solar energy use by his Department or their agencies.
: Ireland is a signatory, through the ESB, to the Implementing Agreement on Wave Energy of the International Energy Agency. Within this agreement practical research is being carried out in Japan and the results made available to Ireland. In this way Ireland can participate in, and reap the benefits of, costly research. While the Japanese project has produced a working prototype of 1 MW, it is generally felt that truly commercial machines will not be available for a decade or so.
In anticipation of the possibility of using wave machines in Ireland a measuring buoy will be located at the Porcupine Bank early next summer. As well as data on wave characteristics, the buoy will measure meteorological data and oceanographic data, which will be of value in relation to offshore exploration, weather forecasting and fishing operations.
A wave tank is available in UCC for studies on wave machines. Some fundamental research is in progress in UCC and also in UCG and NIHE (Limerick) on the characteristics of waves and machines.
The ESB have installed eight solar energy domestic water heaters in private houses in the Dublin area and these are being closely monitored. In addition the ESB will shortly be installing solar collectors for a swimming pool and this installation will also be monitored. The ESB have agreed to fund part of the cost of a photo-voltaic assembly to be built in UCC. This will provide a maximum of 50 kw of electricity.
The Institute for Industrial Research and Standards are participating in the EEC Solar Energy Research Programme on two projects. The first project involves the construction and operation of a solar pilot test facility, which includes two full-scale complete solar house-heating systems and one domestic hot water system.
The second project involves the testing of solar collectors of various manufacture using existing standardised test methods. The test methods will be extended and modified in particular to suit use in temperate climates such as ours.
The UCD school of engineers are engaged in research and development on solar-powered heat pumps intended to provide heating and cooling facilities, initially for domestic dwellings.
: I thank the Minister for his lengthy reply and for all the information given. As he has mentioned the wave machine in UCC, can the Minister say whether there are or have been tests on an Irish invention patented by an Irish citizen? Is the Minister aware of that? How has it gone and has it any worth-while promise?
: I cannot tell the Deputy any more on this topic. He will appreciate that his question relates to my Department and their agencies. I assumed he wanted a general picture of what was going on so I included bodies such as UCC and so on which are not agencies of my Department. I cannot give him any more information than I have.
: Thank you very much.
3.
asked the Minister for Energy the latest position in regard to wind-power experiments.
4.
asked the Minister for Energy if he will make a statement, giving if possible an interim indication, of the results of the research so far conducted in this country on the possibilities of generating significant quantities of electricity by wind-power.
: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.
At the end of last March after some consideration of the state of technology and the possibilities that existed I asked the NBST to prepare possible outline demonstration projects to harness wind energy. I identified four projects types:
(1) a coastal-mountain project,
(2) a midland location project,
(3) an island project and
(4) a wind energy machine linked to an agricultural co-operative or small rural industry.
I have received from the NBST a proposal which indicates as far as possible with regard to each project, the appropriate technology, the likely agency of implementation, the estimated budget and the time frame within which the various projects can be launched. The ESB will shortly place orders for three wind generators and An Foras Talúntais has erected a machine at their station in Kinsealy. A firm of consulting engineers have been engaged by my Department to select and install a machine on Inis Oirr to supplement the diesel generated electrical supply on that island. Work is well advanced to select the sites and types of wind generators necessary for the other demonstration projects.
These projects are only part of a broader programme which I am preparing aimed at assessing the potential contribution of wind energy. I have recently appointed a steering committee which has the help of a full time technical officer to develop the national wind-power programme, initiate the demonstration projects already announced and to establish contacts with agencies and companies at home and abroad who can assist us in the wind-power programme. I am anxious to ensure that in the event of the success of the pilot or demonstration programme possibilities for the industrial manufacture of wind machines in Ireland will be pursued.
A study was completed in 1979 by a group from Trinity College on the potential of wind-power for large scale electricity generation. The study concluded that several hundred megawatts of capacity could be added to the national grid without a need for storage. Of course the large scale wind generators required are still being developed and are not yet commercially proven.
: In the investigations that have been going on in recent times has any specific cognisance been taken or has there been any examination of the fact that Denmark are already operating machines of a large nature?
: The Deputy can rest assured that any information on work in European countries has been made available to our people and has been taken into account. He will appreciate that conditions are somewhat different in Ireland, particularly on the west coast, from what would normally be encountered in Denmark. The technical problems that would have to be dealt with are somewhat different. In so far as the design work and so on done in Denmark can be of assistance to us it is being taken into account.
: Would the Minister refute the suggestion that people engaged on his behalf and on behalf of State agencies in investigating wind machines, of which the most advanced are in Denmark, have been denied the necessary small amount of finance required to enable them to go there and do an in-depth study?
: I am not aware of such an allegation.
: In the light of the extreme urgency of our energy situation and the increasing burden which oil imports are placing on our tottering economy would the Minister not agree that there is a slight suggestion of a snail's pace about the wind programme? I know the Minister's heart is in the right place but it is about seven months since he first said anything about Inis Oirr. It is only now that arrangements are being made to buy land on which to site this plant.
: The Deputy's understanding of that is not correct. I agree that anything that can be done to speed up this programme should be done. I hope that I communicated to those concerned, if they did not have it already, a sense of urgency about this task. On the other hand, it would be unrealistic not to recognise, firstly, that a good deal of work in that area is and must be experimental, because the whole technology is relatively new. People may say that we have had windmills for hundreds of years but we have not had for hundreds of years windmills generating electricity. A good deal of new technology is being applied to this in various parts of the world but conditions obtaining in this country are different from those in other parts of the world where this sort of work is done. Generator designs used successfully in other parts of the world have resulted when used around our coast in wind-generators being damaged seriously by the wind. They were not geared to our conditions. It is important that any work we do on this takes account of our own conditions and does not result in collapse of the whole operation. Therefore, it is necessary to spend some time testing and measuring wind velocities and gusts and trying to ensure that the design applied is suitable to the conditions encountered off our coast.
: I am not entirely happy with the reply but I cannot think of another question to ask the Minister arising out of it. Yes, I have another question. Has he in his wind programme any element of multiplying wind generators and wind intermittency? If the wind would not be in one place there is a good chance it still may be blowing in another, so that his wind programme could be spread around the country so as to take advantage of that fact.
: This is being taken into consideration and, the Deputy is right, really it has to be taken into consideration. It is one of the purposes of measuring the velocities and gusts which are encountered at different times of the year.