translating it properly into the type of financial support that is needed quickly and immediately.
I have my view on renewable energy and wind farms. I think we are destroying the countryside with them. Where are the regulations that were promised way back in 2016 or 2013? Where
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In debates
committed to building Ireland's energy resilience and ending energy poverty. We are working at speed to roll out more renewable energy infrastructure, onshore and offshore wind and solar panels. This is already helping to bring down the cost of electricity and is a long term solution … meet expenses, including those who face difficulties with fuel bills. The Government is working at speed to roll out more renewable energy infrastructure, onshore and offshore wind and solar panels. This is already helping to bring down the cost of electricity and is the long term solution
renewables capacity; and
— no offshore wind power generation capacity will be available before 2030 despite a 5 GW target;
further notes that:
— Ireland has the highest electricity prices in the European Union, and over 500,000 households are in arrears on their energy bills;
— the increased and inflexible … electricity prices, carbon emissions, water usage and grid stability;
— introduce a moratorium on the further construction of data centres until renewable energy from offshore wind comes online, and households and businesses can benefit from lower energy costs;
— introduce a levy on the energy usage of data centres
government to implement climate mitigation measures.
Ireland is at the forefront of transitioning to an electricity system dominated by variable renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, and we have achieved record-breaking levels of renewable electricity generation, reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels. Most notably … power system to enhance its renewable integration capabilities. The electricity system in Ireland can operate with up to 75% wind and solar at any given moment. The International Energy Agency, IEA, recognised this achievement as remarkable and a global milestone. Ireland currently has over 8 GW of renewable
listened and now we have seven or eight turbines in the place, working and generating good renewable energy. The turbines are well over a kilometre from houses. I stress these wind turbines are much smaller as the ones we have now. The community was satisfied … going to have offshore generation, I heard at my committee meeting that it will be 25 years before offshore energy is produced by wind farms. Do not listen to any guff saying that this is a real option in the near future. We have to make sure
since 2011, and we still have no offshore wind at all. We had an offshore wind farm at that time, so we are actually going backwards in terms of offshore renewable energy. That is an incredible indictment of this Government. It is all the more incredible when … achieved in recent years. Spain has broken its dependency on gas in the context of electricity generation. It has put more renewable wind and solar energy in place, which means it has some of the cheapest electricity bills for households and businesses in Europe. Contrastingly, in Ireland
issue that I want to shine a light on here today is in relation to wind and solar energy in east Galway. I know that it is outside of the Minister's area of responsibility.
In east Galway, particularly in the Tuam-Athenry area, we are being bombarded … understand why east Galway is being unfairly targeted for a vast number of these energy developments and when we can anticipate that the planning guidelines pertaining to the 185 m wind turbines will be revisited. Right now, they are the most visually intrusive developments anywhere in the country
work in terms of offshore wind in particular and how we can complement supply chains in the context of the generation of energy through offshore wind.
In terms of nuclear, again, the investment in nuclear is enormous. We are putting about €18 billion into the grid over … using solar, which is reducing their dependence on imported fossil fuels. In companies like Eli Lilly in Kinsale, for example, 25% of its energy is powered by a solar farm in the environments of the factory. There is rooftop solar in PepsiCo in Carrigaline. Many other companies
carbon neutrality by 2050, which we all support.
Bord na Móna has commenced development of a €2.7 billion pipeline of renewable energy projects across wind, solar and hydrogen to deliver 3.5 TWh of renewable energy by 2030 and has delivered a 1 GW pipeline of renewable energy projects
offshore wind. We have the unique opportunity in the Limerick area, particularly with the Foynes Port, the deepest port in the island and a huge stretch of river. As the world is moving into critical danger, if we do not deliver to make our country energy secure with … through offshore wind, we will be buying that from abroad. We have the opportunity to buy our own, make ourselves energy sufficient and export wind or we can buy it back in ourselves.
The HIQA report launched on 30 September had three options in it. We still
glaringly obvious to most people that the simple solution to our energy crisis issues is to invest in indigenous sources of energy, such as wind and solar, something that could have been ramped up immediately following the energy crisis in 2022. The Government failed to act then
generated through war and conflict with the most recent being the Russian invasion of Ukraine before this war. The Deputy attacked the wind and solar energy agenda and so on. He is actually creating a scenario where there would be more energy dependence into the future … energy dependence on fossil fuels, which would be a disaster for the country. If this teaches us anything, it is the necessity to double down on our focus and investment in renewables. There are hard choices to make on this. I was in the Dáil recently when
well as an environmental one, that we move much more quickly on our investment in renewables. It is absolutely essential for wind and solar energy and indeed that we see the clearing house. That is happening at Government level, but it has to be a top priority that
reliance on gas as our main energy source. We are making great strides in substituting our fossil fuels with indigenously generated wind and solar energy. This journey to a clean energy source is very much part of this programme. Electrification can only be achieved through investment
economy away from its reliance on imported, intermittent and expensive fossil fuels and towards clean, indigenous renewable energy. Where is the urgency when it comes to developing our offshore wind capacity? We are being left vulnerable to an increasingly unstable geopolitical arena and it is ordinary households that … development of the proposed LNG terminal.
Where is that level of commitment when it comes to renewables, developing offshore wind infrastructure and solar energy? Look at what the UK is doing with plug-in solar panels? Where is the necessary level of commitment when it comes to decarbonising
private wires legislation will undermine climate obligations by diverting energy. We have seen in the past few years the increase from wind and the new energy coming onto the system, but it is all being gobbled up by the data centres and other large energy users. A fundamental … Government and people are making in the context of onshore and offshore energy. One Minister even admitted that the Government has been sitting on its hands and navel gazing when it comes to offshore wind. We do not want that to happen
supply shock. In the long run, the only way to prepare for future energy shocks is to invest substantially in our energy infrastructure. Offshore wind and wave power should be the priority and funds from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund should be used for that. The energy
most people in this House, is that we must do it in a sustainable and renewable way, including onshore and offshore wind and solar energy. We must prioritise renewable energy as much as possible.
There have been comments over the past few weeks about an opening
free and taking serious measures to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Ireland needs real action now to invest in renewable energy, retrofitting and solar and wind installation in order to reduce energy costs, curb emissions and tackle the climate crisis.
That is another reason why Labour
important to support a high renewable electricity system. This new modern capacity allows for the integration of a large volume of wind and solar energy projects that displace the need to run fossil fuel plants and thus reduce wholesale market prices. This capacity is procured through competitive auctions
they are important catalysts for investment too. The point is, though, that they will use up a lot of energy so we really need the offshore wind to happen. That has faced challenges because of what has happened in the United States and the undermining of the companies … moment. We need to get those over the line by 2030 onwards and get a number of offshore wind farms up and running. That is key to the future energy sustainability of the country. There are about 2.5 GW of onshore wind in planning at the moment, with
handed attitude that State bodies can have, rather than actually having a process where everybody is heard.
One imperative to develop offshore renewable energy is that it is not supposed to displace other industries. That is my understanding of EU directives in this regard. Other people's livelihoods … that they may lose their houses. That is outrageous.
The whole thing is a flipping scandal. We need to develop offshore renewable wind and renewable energy, but it should be us who are doing it. The beneficiaries should be us, the owners of the sites. The site selection
delivering those projects.
The examples that spring to mind when we talk about climate, for example, are renewable energy projects, including wind farms.
It takes a long time to get a wind farm up and running and, as we stand here, there is not a single operational offshore … wind farm in Ireland. That is a shameful statistic. As we look at solar projects, wind projects, onshore as well, and wave projects we hope will come in the future, we need to be able to action them much more quickly than we are. In an ironic
would accelerate the move towards electric vehicles that can be powered more by the grid.
At the moment, some of the energy produced by wind is going to waste because we do not have the capacity to store it.
We are so dependent on gas as the baseline … homes rather than having to switch off, like so many houses do at the moment, especially when it is tied to an Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, grant.
We need to think about the big picture, but this motion is about the small or more immediate picture
Taoiseach has not been able to provide me with any firm sense of when that renewable energy from offshore wind will start to feed into our national grid. What we know when it comes to security of supply is that Qatar has shut off its entire production … basis of security of supply, LNG fails the test. It is the Government's policy to hard-wire that failed approach into our energy system. This will leave Irish households vulnerable to consistently higher prices and leave the State vulnerable to energy shocks caused by international events like
In parliamentary questions
Richard O'Donoghue
Written
list, of all wind turbine noise reports received to, or commissioned, since 2014, including the date, title, consultancy (where applicable), and any other agencies involved, in tabular form, including reports commissioned by relevant bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Skillnet
Donna McGettigan
Written
Climate, Energy and the Environment regarding the national territory mapping for renewable electricity being prepared under Article 15b of RED III, the direct consultation his Department has held with Shannon Airport Group and authorities (details supplied) before including East Clare as a strategic onshore wind area
Barry Heneghan
Written
wind turbines and public health; the terms of reference governing this review; the expertise represented on the review group, including public health and environmental noise specialists; and when these details will be published, in order to support public confidence and planning certainty for renewable energy infrastructure
Barry Heneghan
Written
Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health whether the HSE review of its 2017 position paper on wind turbines will be explicitly required to assess the most up-to-date peer-reviewed scientific evidence and the latest WHO environmental noise guidelines; and whether she will publish confirmation … evidentiary standards being applied, in order to provide long-term regulatory certainty and facilitate the timely delivery of renewable energy projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8587/26
Barry Heneghan
Written
Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which his Department plans to address vulnerabilities in the State's electricity transmission grid highlighted by recent extreme weather events, including storm Éowyn, particularly in the context of climate change; the measures being … taken to manage existing levels of curtailment and constraint on the system ahead of significant offshore wind integration; the way he plans to mitigate electricity grid operating risks in the period to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10445/26
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