Written Answers Nos. 1 - 50
46. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he or his officials have had meetings or discussions with executives from a company (details supplied) regarding the proposed data centre in Athenry, specifically as regards the provision of a 100% renewable energy supply for the facility. [49096/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that neither myself nor officials from my Department have had discussions with executives from Apple regarding the proposed data centre, or its energy supply source, in Athenry. However my officials occasionally meet with IDA representatives and their client companies as part of routine engagement on wider energy policy developments.
The level of interest from energy intensive industry such as data centres, in Ireland has increased in recent years and has the potential to drive growth in electricity demand. Significantly, one of the key reasons cited for this increased level of interest is Ireland’s positive record in the area of renewable energy deployment.
Data centres consume very large amounts of energy and the scale and quantity of their development presents challenges to Ireland’s national grid. EirGrid, the state’s electricity transmission system operator, makes considerable efforts to ensure that the electricity system can cope with the increasing demands placed on it by the increase in the number of data centres in the last decade, as well as planning to meet future demands, as reflected in their Tomorrow's Energy Scenarios 2017 publication.
According to EirGrid’s latest Generation Capacity Statement there are currently approximately 250 megavolt amperes (MVA) of installed data centres in Ireland. Megavolt ampere is the electricity terminology mainly used for grid connections. Furthermore, there are connection offers either in place or in the pipeline for a further 600 MVA. At present, there are enquiries for more than 1,000 MVA of additional data centres. These statistics demonstrate the scale of energising existing and proposed data centres.
In recognition of the economic potential that data centres can bring to Ireland, the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation in conjunction with other relevant Ministers is leading a cross-government effort to develop a national policy statement on the strategic importance of data centres as part of Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy, with a first draft expected later this year. This strategic policy approach will include proposed amendments to the Strategic Infrastructure Act and take account of wider energy policy developments. I am firmly of the view that the development of data centres must be plan lead, focused on areas where there is strong grid and energy supply. The policy statement must lay out a clear and balanced approach to the development of the sector, one that will take account of a variety of elements including regional development, costs and benefits and the impact on Ireland’s electricity grid.
47. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address the fact that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has refused to play a role in the Government's monitoring of waste collection charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49108/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government gave a commitment to consumers to carefully monitor the transition in the sector when introducing the measure to phase out flat fees for household waste collection. Accordingly, I established a Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group. Its role is to track the rates charged by waste collectors across the country as flat rate fees are being phased out.
The Price Monitoring Group is chaired by Mr Frank Conway, an independent consumer finances expert, and comprises representatives from the Waste Policy and Resource Efficiency Division and an economist from my Department, a statistician from the Central Statistics Office, and a market research company with expertise in price monitoring. The company has now completed two data sweeps of the market and has reported the data to the Group. The Price Monitoring Group will continue its monthly market surveillance during the flat-fee phase out.
In addition, the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation has asked the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to conduct a study on the operation of the household waste collection market. The CCPC has commenced work in this regard and it hopes to finalise the study in early 2018.
The CCPC has also outlined its role vis-à-vis the Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group. It indicated that it would not be appropriate for it to take part on the Price Monitoring Group as any commentary by that Group could prove problematic in the context of the independent Commission's review of the market. Furthermore, it clarified that its involvement in the Price Monitoring Group could potentially prejudice any future enforcement action that the Commission might deem necessary in the sector.
Notwithstanding the above, the results from the Household Waste Collection Price Monitoring Group will be monitored and analysed. Its surveillance, in conjunction with the study being undertaken by the CCPC, will provide an evidence base regarding future monitoring or the potential need for additional regulation of the waste market.
48. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the proposal by EirGrid to construct the North-South interconnector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49037/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 19 December 2016 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the North-South Interconnector project in Ireland. The decision concluded a lengthy planning process which included an Oral Hearing completed over eleven weeks from March to May last year. The planning process for the section of the project in Northern Ireland is on-going following the conclusion of an oral hearing on 27 February 2017.
Following the motions calling for an updated independent study that were passed by Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann earlier this year, I have commissioned two independent studies designed to address the main points of the motions as well as key concerns expressed by parties opposed to the development of an overhead line.
The first is an independent study to examine the technical feasibility and cost of undergrounding the interconnector. I have approved the appointment of independent experts to carry out this study and their work commenced in August. The consultants are Bo Normark, who will Chair the Group, Professor Ronnie Belmans and Professor Keith Bell. This Independent Expert Group is expected to deliver its final report by the end of January next and indeed were in Ireland for a variety of meetings in the course of their research on Thursday and Friday last week (16-17 November).
I have also commissioned a study on the levels of compensation provided to land and property owners in proximity to high-voltage transmission lines in a European context. Work is well underway on this study and its results are expected in Quarter 1 2018.
The results of both commissioned studies will be published prior to the conclusion of this procurement process. In addition, no work will be commissioned during the procurement process.
49. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has considered the Citizens' Assembly's recommendations on climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49088/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe contributions by the members of the Citizens’ Assembly to this critical and urgent issue, which included consideration of a range of detailed presentations by technical experts in meetings over the course of two full weekends, have been welcomed by me and by the Government as a whole.
I understand that the Citizens' Assembly must now communicate its report and recommendations to the Houses of the Oireachtas for further consideration. The topics considered by the Citizens’ Assembly as part of its module on climate change and the recommendations arising from this module address a range of Government policies and activities. The Government will study the Assembly’s report and recommendations systematically and comprehensively when it receives them and will provide its response to each recommendation of the Assembly in the Houses of the Oireachtas in due course.
In the context of the Assembly’s work on this module, I also understand that it has been invited to consider how the National Dialogue on Climate Action should engage with the wider public to create awareness, engagement and motivation to act in relation to the challenges of climate change. I expect that the report of the Citizens' Assembly will provide valuable input and ideas from which to draw on in the preparation of further activities under the National Dialogue in the coming months.
In the context of my engagement with representatives of Irish NGOs at COP 23 last week I was also pleased to note the very positive response to the work of the Citizens’ Assembly and the suggestion that, together with the National Dialogue on Climate Action, these models for participatory engagement could be showcased at future COP meetings in the spirit of the ‘Talanoa’ Dialogue that is now to be taken forward under the Fijian COP Presidency.
In general terms, I was pleased to note that many of the recommendations adopted by the members of the Assembly, as reported on during the second weekend of this module, are already being addressed in the National Mitigation Plan and in the implementation of the Energy White Paper, but I also acknowledge that other recommendations will need further consideration in the context of the Government’s response to the report of the Assembly.
50. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the implications for the State's emissions targets and broader obligations in regard to addressing climate change of potential expansion of energy intensive industry here, particularly if same is incentivised by the Government, as in, for example, plans to expand the number of data centres located here. [49014/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2014 National Policy Position on Climate Change and 2015 Energy White Paper include ambitious long-term commitments, respectively, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% compared to 1990 levels and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the sector by between 80% and 95% by 2050. As energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are inextricably linked, meeting this objective will require a radical transformation of Ireland’s energy system from being predominantly fossil-fuel based to a clean, low carbon energy system.
The level of interest from energy intensive industry, such as data centres, in Ireland has increased in recent years and has the potential to drive growth in electricity demand. Significantly, one of key reasons cited for this increased level of interest is Ireland’s positive record in the area of renewable energy deployment. Ireland is also seen as having a number of additional advantages as a location for data centre development including: climate; fibre internet connectivity; energy supply; and its business environment. In recognition of the economic benefits that data centres can bring to Ireland, the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, in conjunction with other relevant Ministers, is leading inter-Departmental work to develop a national policy statement on the strategic importance of data centres as part of Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy, with a first draft expected later this year.
This strategic policy approach is expected to include proposed amendments to the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act, 2006, and to take account of wider energy and climate policy perspectives. I am firmly of the view that the development of data centres must be in areas where there is strong grid and energy supply. The policy statement must set out a clear and balanced approach to the development of the sector, one that will take account of a variety of elements including regional development, costs and benefits, and the impact on Ireland’s electricity grid.
As Minister with responsibility for both climate action and energy policy, I am mindful that an increase in energy demand may have implications for both our climate and renewable energy targets. In light of economic growth indicators and energy demand growth forecasts, which include projected data centre growth, my Department is working to support and encourage the development of additional levels of renewable generation technologies via a new Renewable Energy Support Scheme which is currently under development. My Department received 1,250 submissions to the final consultation on the RESS which closed in early November. I am keen that this new Scheme encourages the diversification of renewable energy technologies in Ireland, while mindful of the need to minimise the costs on the consumers through the Public Service Obligation.
I am committed to further exploring opportunities for supporting micro generation, including at data centre sites, as I believe that micro-generation could have an important role in Ireland’s transition to a carbon free economy, in assisting Ireland meet its renewable electricity targets, increasing social acceptance of, and helping to offset, any potential growth in emissions from a future increase in energy demand.
