I recently announced an ambitious programme to almost treble the contribution from renewable energy sources from 5.2% of gross electricity consumption in Ireland in 2004 to 15% by 2010, some five years in advance of the target discussed at the Spring Council meeting. This is a challenging but viable target. We have gone further again in stating in the Green Paper on Energy Policy published on 1 October our commitment to an ambitious target of 30% by 2020.
With regard to biofuels, Ireland, like many other EU Member States, is developing its biofuels sector from a low base. This is borne out by the fact that Member States combined reported a target of 1.4% for 2005, which is below the Directive's indicative target. The Commission has accepted Ireland's target of 2% by 2008. The new excise relief programme is being rolled out from this year to 2010 and will enable us to reach the initial target of 2% market penetration of biofuels by 2008.
The Green Paper on Energy proposes a further target of 5.75% for biofuels market penetration by 2010. To achieve this target, a significant change in land use patterns or a level of imports may be required. The Ministerial Task Force on Bio-energy Strategy is addressing the most appropriate measures required to achieve this target and this will inform decisions on future targets including the viability of a target of 8% market penetration of biofuels by 2015.