The Government will invest €200 million over the next five years in energy-related research and development (R&D) Taoiseach Bertie Ahern announced today.
Speaking at a major conference on sustainable energy in Dublin, Mr Ahern told the Energy Forum 2008 that through R&D, Ireland can develop environmental solutions and products to become one of the leading green economies in the world.
He said: "Our objective is an energy policy based on secure sources of supply, that promotes competitiveness, and is environmentally sustainable.
The Taoiseach announced a multimillion-euro investment in sustainable energy
"The move we now need to make towards a low carbon economy presents a scale of change that will be far greater than the changes that have already occurred," the Taoiseach said.
Attended by the main players in the energy industry and a host of cabinet Ministers, the forum seeks to have Government and industry discuss the implications a move towards sustainable energy will have for Ireland's economy in job creation and inward investment.
Government Ministers from the departments of Energy, Environment, Enterprise, Agriculture, Transport addressed the conference on issues ranging from sustainable energy, new building regulations and bioenergy.
Eamon Ryan, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, who hosted the forum, said it marked a demonstration of the cross-Government commitment to the new energy era.
Mr Ryan also unveiled a study by Sustainable Energy Ireland on the benefits of energy efficiency to the Irish economy. It found that by meeting the 2020 national energy efficiency target, the economic benefits will outweigh the costs by close to €300 million per annum.
