Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Oct 1992

Vol. 423 No. 1

Written Answers. - Water Pumping.

Roger T. Garland

Ceist:

146 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Energy his views on whether (1) the electricity option for water pumping gives unfair advantage on the grounds of optimum use of resources, (2) given equal treatment, wind water pumping would be justified in certain cases on conventional economic grounds and (3) wind water pumping would have ecological benefits as no fossil fuels would be consumed to produce electricity, thereby saving on emissions to the atmosphere, and with a reduction in fossil fuel imports; and if he will outline his intention in this regard.

Minister for Energy (Mr. Molloy)

I am strongly supportive of the use of wind energy, particularly in view of the environmental benefits, as an alternative to those forms of energy which require the burning of fossil fuels.

Under a once-off Wind Energy Demonstration Project in the 1980s a small wind turbine was used for water pumping and while there was some encouraging results from this project it did not cover the matter of comparative cost effectiveness relative to other methods of water pumping.