Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2015
615. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress in meeting the overall renewables targets by 2020 under the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC, including the progress on meeting the targets for the contribution of renewables and biofuels to gross electricity consumption, transport energy and heat since this Government came to office. [44188/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy. Figures provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) show that, in 2014, 8.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirements were met from renewable sources. More specifically, the SEAI has calculated that 22.7% of electricity, 6.6% of heat and 5.2% of transport were from renewable sources. Biofuels represented 1.9% of gross electricity consumption in the same year.
The following table summarises the progress made in meeting these targets since the Government came into office.
|
2011 |
2014 |
2020 Target |
|
|
Overall Renewables Contribution |
6.5% |
8.6% |
16.0% |
|
RES-E |
17.3% |
22.7% |
40.0% |
|
RES-H |
4.9% |
6.6% |
12.0% |
|
RES-T |
3.8% |
5.2% |
10.0% |
|
Biofuels (biomass, landfill gas & biogas) as a % of gross electricity consumption |
1.2% |
1.9% |
None |
The SEAI publication Energy in Ireland 1990-2014 provides further information on progress made in relation to the use of renewable energy in Ireland and is available at the following link:
http://www.seai.ie/Publications/Statistics_Publications/Energy_in_Ireland/Energy-in-Ireland-1990-2014.pdf
