Irish Govt Unveils Plans to Transform Energy Sector
Date: 03-Oct-06
Country: IRELAND
Author: Kevin Smith
The paper -- "Towards a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland" -- calls for 30 percent of all electricity consumed in the country to come from renewable sources by 2020.
"This is an ambitious goal but one I believe we can reach," Natural Resources Minister Noel Dempsey said in a statement.
He said the country was already on track to produce 15 percent of its electricity from renewable sources -- from a current 9 percent -- by 2010.
This would involve stepping up production of wind, ocean and bio energy.
The green paper envisages strengthening Ireland's security of supply by enhancing its electricity interconnection with British-ruled Northern Ireland and developing a new electricity interconnection with Britain by 2012.
A further connection, possibly with continental Europe, should be underway by the target year, it said.
Soaring fuel costs this year have bitten hard in Ireland, which is nearly 90 percent reliant on imported oil, gas and coal, pushing the issue towards the top of the government's agenda as it faces into a general election within the next nine months.
Another key objective is to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent, for example via schemes to encourage householders to switch to renewable technologies -- such as solar panels -- in their homes.
The new strategy also includes proposals for reducing costs to the consumer by increasing competition in the Irish energy market, which is dominated by state-owned utilities.
As a first step, Dempsey said, the government had given the go-ahead for a 500 megawatt electricity interconnection with Wales, to be completed in six years time.
Irish householders face significant hikes in the price of both electricity and gas later this year and in early 2007.
"I want to see a clean, clever and competitive energy sector in Ireland," Dempsey said.
"In my vision for 2020 Ireland will be a fully sustainable secure, efficient, affordable all-island energy market, supporting environmental, economic and social policy objectives," he said.