Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2017
215. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the mix of fossil fuels and renewables he envisages being used for electricity generation going forward to 2020, 2030 and 2050; when he envisages the phasing out of fossil fuels completely for electricity production here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26336/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraRenewable electricity accounted for 25.3% of electricity generation in 2015; the remainder, except for approximately 2% from interconnectors, was generated by fossil fuels, mostly natural gas. The Programme for Government sets out that Ireland’s long-term interests are best supported by further decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels through the continued development of renewable electricity generation. This is underpinned by the Energy White Paper which sets out a framework that will guide policy in the energy sector from now up to 2030. It sets a vision of reducing emissions from the energy system by 80-95% by 2050. This will require the share of fossil fuels to be of the order of 26-51% of total primary energy requirement. Government will not determine what the exact energy mix used for electricity generation will be out to 2030 and 2050, however policy clearly shows that there will be a much greater influence from renewable sources and increasingly less impact from high carbon, non-renewable sources.
My Department is currently developing a proposed new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable energy contributions out to 2030. The new scheme design requires detailed economic analysis on the viability and cost effectiveness of supporting several renewable technologies at various scales. Once the analysis is complete, my Department will publish a final public consultation on the design of the new support scheme. There will be several decisions to be made with regard to scale, technologies and, in particular, how communities will have a greater involvement than in previous schemes.
Subject to securing the necessary approvals, it is expected that the new scheme will become operational in the first half of 2018
Looking to the European Union's emerging climate and energy targets for 2030, it is likely that all Member States will be required to expand their renewable electricity generation portfolios beyond their 2020 capacities.
As acknowledged in the Energy White Paper, oil and natural gas will remain significant elements of Ireland’s energy supply in the course of the transition. The 2014 National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development, which is underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, provides the high-level policy direction for the State to move to a low-carbon economy by 2050. I will be publishing the first National Mitigation Plan required under the Act in the coming weeks.
