White paper: roadmap for country's energy needs

Energy citizens, community schemes, increased energy efficiency and renewable energy were the key focuses of the energy white paper launched by Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White.

Titled “A vision for transforming Ireland’s fuel-based energy sector”, it set the framework to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels from 85% at present to 19% to 30% in 2050 and eventually eliminate it. The report also aims to reduce greenhouse gases by 80% to 95% compared to the 1990 levels, feeding into the COP21 agreement recently agreed.

Mark Griffen, Secretary General in the Department of Energy, said it was the most consulted documented in the history of the state with 1,250 written submissions and the breath of the report clearly showed this.

The report was definitely more directional that detailed. There was over 90 actions imbedded within the report that if followed through have the potential to make a real difference to reducing our import dependence, reducing carbon emissions and creating jobs particularly in rural area.

The report looked to engage people by creating energy citizens who would think and act differently around how they use energy. Minister White said they would support community participation in renewable energy and energy efficient projects. Continuing the engagement theme, a new National Energy forum will be set up in 2016 that would bring in stakeholders to ensure evidence based decisions can be made on progressing policy. Onshore wind continues to be presented as the most cost efficiency. To achieve the target of 3,500 to 4,000MW of onshore wind generation the report set out a need to increase installations from 170MW per year up to 260 MW per year.

However, there was a move away from just large scale projects, identifying needs for an increased role for smaller community level projects. It also said bioenergy, solar and offshore energy will become an increasing part of the mix as they become more cost effective.

When it came to biomass they said it would be more efficiently employed in the heat sector. Greater use of biomass was identified as having the potential to support up to 5,000 rural jobs while reducing fuel costs and imported fuel. The adoption of electric and gas vehicles will also be supported.

For many farmers the first major indication of commitment to both the renewable heat and renewable energy sectors will be the publishing of the incentives and supports in early 2016.

Commenting on the paper, Siobhan Mehigan, Co-operative Development Executive of ICOS,said: "While we welcome the announcement of the Energy White Paper, we want a quick allocation of resources to drive this initiative.

"Financial and technical resources are required to facilitate and support effective community action and to assist them in transitioning into a sustainable renewable energy community. We ask that this detail should be included in the implementation plan that is to be developed."

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