Donal Carey
Ceist:30 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Energy if he envisages State or semi-State agencies being directly involved in generation of electricity by wind.
Written Answers. - Electricity Generation.
As the Deputy will be aware, the construction of Ireland's first windfarm by Renewable Energy Ireland Ltd., is currently taking place at Bellacorick County Mayo and both the ESB and Bord na Móna, together with my Department, are actively involved in this development. The ESB, as well as purchasing all of the electricity to be produced by the windfarm are also carrying out the electrical work associated with the project while Bord na Móna have taken a small preferential shareholding in the company and are undertaking the civil works and part of the ongoing service and maintenance work. The wind farm will also benefit from the substantial price increase which the ESB introduced for electricity generated from all non-fuel renewable energy sources with effect from June 1991.
Apart from this project the ESB is also in the process of undertaking its own wind research programme which involves the carrying out of wind energy experiments and data collection at various locations around the country.
I believe that the future development of wind-power in this country to a considerable degree will be closely related to the outcome of the Bellacorick project. The further participation by semi-State companies in any future developments will be a matter for the companies themselves to decide.