asked the Minister for Energy the research which is currently being done in Ireland on solar energy; the role of his Department in such research; the grants, if any, he has given in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Solar Energy Research.
7.
There are at present seven research, development and demonstration projects underway in Ireland on solar energy. Total cost of this research is £3 million.
Five projects are funded by the EC Research and Development Programme (JOULE). This programme is operated in Ireland by Eolas at the request of my Department. One is funded under the EC energy demonstration project scheme, also operated by Eolas on behalf of my Department, and one under an EC funded stimulation programme. No grants are given by my Department at present for renewable energy research.
What are the initial results of the experiments carried out by Eolas?
That is a short question but to answer it would require a lengthy response. In my view it merits a separate question. I should like to tell the Deputy it is my wish that research deemed to have achieved successful results should be put into practical application for the benefit of the economy. Efforts are being made to disseminate the results of this research and bring them into use so that the economy can benefit from new knowledge in this area.
Is the Minister in a position to say if experiments being carried out at Glasnevin were discontinued due to financial cutbacks in his Department? Would it not be better to make grants available generally to those carrying out experiments? In my view the Department are not assisting in the carrying out of experiments.
The Deputy realises that we are a small nation with limited financial resources. We are keeping a close eye on developments in the new and renewable energy field abroad. Information is available to us to help us utilise the results of that research. The utilisation of EC grant assistance for this purpose has been successfully undertaken by the Government through Eolas. The position that obtains at present is satisfactory in the circumstances.
I am most dismayed with the Minister's reply. He has told us that a mere £3 million has been spent on research into non-renewable energy. Will the Minister agree that we should not rely on information from foreign countries? We are in a different position to them in that wind speeds are different here. We should carry out our own research bearing in mind that we can get 50 per cent of such expenditure back from the EC. Will the Minister agree that we should be spending a lot more money on such research?
Wind energy has been the subject of a lot of research that was funded by the EC. We have availed of such EC projects. I accept that we can recoup some of the expenditure from the EC. That has been done in the past and I expect it will be done in the future for as long as that money is available to us.
Will the Minister confirm that spending in this area by the Government has been cut to about one-tenth the level it was at in the early eighties? Will the Minister accept, as Deputy Ryan indicated, that there is a lack of commitment by the Government to make progress in this area?
The fact that there has been a reduction in the allocation from the Exchequer does not mean that we are not in a position to avail of the results of worldwide research on energy renewable projects. Other countries are making available the information they have. Given our financial circumstances, what we have been doing up to now is satisfactory. We have been encouraging the utilisation of the finance available through the EC. As I say, Eolas have been playing an important role in assisting those projects. We have done quite well with those projects. Many Irish research projects are under way with the help of Eolas, a State organisation, and with financial assistance from the EC.
Would it be possible——
Order, please. I want to deal with other questions also.
Would the Minister make an early statement on the fruits of this research abroad, which he is piggy backing on, so that we can see where solar energy fits into his plans on energy in Ireland?
I will consider the Deputy's suggestion.
A final question from Deputy Seán Ryan. A brief question, Deputy.
Given the fact that the Minister did not deny cutbacks have taken place in Eolas, would he give a firm commitment here this afternoon that he will make the necessary finance available to enable Eolas continue this very worthy experiment?
If I have time, I would like to outline to the House the projects which are being funded at present. These include a project to advance the introduction of energy-conscious building into the mainstream architectural design throughout the EC, which is being carried out by the School of Architecture at UCD. It is a project leader. Included also are a project to promote the transfer of information from the solar research community to the building and construction profession throughout the EC, a project to assess the suitability of fotavoltaic to Northern European latitudes, being carried out at UCC; a project to examine the possibility of using fotavoltaic as a source of energy for domestic applications at Northern European latitudes being carried out at UCC; a project to identify problems with batteries in fotavoltaic systems and to develop solutions, also being carried out at UCC; a project to study electrocatalytic and photocatalytic properties, being undertaken at Trinity College Dublin; and a project to identify the extent to which a glazed street between two buildings due to solar and other gains will reduce energy consumption, being carried out at Dublin City University. All of these projects are being funded. Therefore an extensive range of research into solar energy is taking place in this country at present.