Madam, - Ireland is considered to have uniquely favourable ocean wave conditions for generating electricity from tidal movements.
Some experts put the potential at 10 times our annual consumption of electricity. The technologies for exploiting this resource are well developed and available in Ireland.
A pilot project - the first in Europe - is just now getting under way near Santander in Spain, an area important for tourism and fisheries. There is no visual impact apart from some buoys on the ocean surface, as the system is totally submerged.
This is the first European project of this nature. The cost of the pilot is modest. An investment of about €2.66 million should produce an output of two megawatts. This would supply the needs of 1,500 families. If the pilot project is successful, Spain has plans to generate 100 megawatts from the Cantabrian Sea.
Why are we not considering ocean wave technology in Ireland given that we are importing over 80 per cent of our energy requirements? - Yours, etc.,
COLUM MacDONNELL, Gowrie Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.