Ireland’s use of renewable energy has doubled in the past five years, largely thanks to a boom in wind power, according to a new report.
Renewable energy sources – principally wind, hydro and biomass – generated over 9 per cent of total electricity last year, and a target of 15 per cent by 2010 is “within our reach,” according to the report by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).
Wind power has grown rapidly since the first wind farms came online in 1992 and Ireland now has the greatest wind power penetration in the world. Opposition to wind farms has grown commensurately and the report says there has been a “significant slowdown” in development in the past two years.
SEI head of industry Brian Motherway said he was confident the growth targets for wind energy would be met. “There is plenty of controversy but also many successful projects going ahead. For every one that is delayed, another one or two are going ahead.” Between 50 and 100 new wind energy projects are currently in planning.
The share of electricity generated from renewable energy nearly doubled between 1990 and 2007, from 4.9 per cent to 9.4 per cent. The longer term target is to generate 40 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
The report also points to a significant growth in the share of transport energy generated from renewables, though the amounts remain small. Biofuels, for example, accounted for 0.5 per cent of petrol and diesel sales last year, growing from 0.1 per cent in 2006.
Biodiesel dominates the biofuel market, with a 76 per cent share, followed by bioethanol (16 per cent) and pure plant oil (8 per cent). Most of these fuels are produced in Ireland.
Renewable thermal energy is also growing and now accounts for 3.4 per cent of thermal energy use. Most of this energy comes from biomass, in particular the use of waste wood to produce energy in processing plants and the use of tallow in rendering factories.
A second report by the SEI says Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation is largely to blame for higher electricity prices for many customers.
Some 88 per cent of Irish electricity is generated from fossil fuels, and 60 per cent from oil and gas alone. Mr Motherway said this was the highest in Europe and left us exposed to the vagaries of fuel price changes.
“The new data on energy prices, which result largely from our fossil fuel dependence, reminds us why it is so important to continue to push for greater use of all types of renewable energy,” he said. “Increasing the contribution of renewable sources to energy supply is critical – it will help address costs, support our security of supply, and ensure we deliver on all our national and EU targets in energy and climate change.”
According to SEI, gas prices for smaller industrial customers are 9-13 per cent above the EU average, but prices for larger customers are 6 per cent below this average. Electricity prices for the average domestic user are 9 per cent lower, when adjustments are made for currency exchange and relative living standards.
