Two recent reports underline the threats to Ireland’s energy security. The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that wholesale electricity prices are 77 per cent higher than they were last year.
Meanwhile, a report from Wind Energy Ireland, the body which represents the sector, said there are about 3 gigawatts (GW) of projects with approval, but some of them have been told that they could be waiting a long time for an electricity connection, in some cases five years.
This puts Ireland in a highly vulnerable situation. The Republic relies on imported fossil fuels for almost 80 per cent of its total energy requirements, which is well above the EU average of 58 per cent.
Of this, there is an increasing reliance on gas, most of which comes through two pipelines from Scotland, as the Kinsale field runs down.
RM Block
Events in the Middle East continue to disrupt energy supplies and the Trump administration has no road map to end the conflict. Oil and gas prices remain high and could increase further. As well as short term budgetary pressures, these point to key strategic issues for policymakers.
Ireland has among the most abundant wind energy resources in the world, yet is mid-ranking among the 27 EU member states in terms of electricity generated through renewables, mainly due to onshore wind.
Wind Energy Ireland is a lobby group whose main objective is to promote the interests of its members. It would be unwise of the Government to shape policy based on every report that crosses its desk, but the action plan released by WEI identifies legitimate threats to Ireland’s energy security that need to be addressed.
The Government has set a very ambitious target of generating 9GW of onshore wind energy and 5GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. Failure to reach these targets would almost certainly mean that Ireland would fail to comply with legally binding reductions in greenhouse gases and possibly face significant fines.
As it stands, there is 5GW of onshore wind capacity and according to the WEI report, approval has been granted for another 3GW of wind energy. The Government is promising to accelerate the planning and consents process . But this is not the only blockage. The delay in electricity connections is a key issue, with new lines and substations needed.
The Government has earmarked significant levels of investment to upgrade the entire energy infrastructure, but the timeline must be accelerated. If Ireland is to remain a viable investment location for wind energy, then a five-year wait for a connection is not acceptable.
And if the promised investment in wind energy is not delivered, then Ireland’s entire climate strategy will fail.
