Ireland on course for E7b Kyoto fine

IRELAND’S failure to embrace production of renewable energy means that fines of up to E7 billion could become a reality by 2012, a conference heard yesterday.

Policy Director with the European Wind Energy Association Christian Kjaer said under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol (November 1997), the agreed target for the EU was to reduce its 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 8% in the period 2008-2012. Under the same agreement, Ireland was allowed to increase its emissions by 12% above its 1990 levels.

"Currently, Ireland is over 30% above 1990 levels," he said.

At the conference, European experts in wind energy told politicians and influencers how Ireland is seriously lagging behind the rest of Europe with regard to wind generation despite having the best wind resource in the union.

Martin McAdam, generations, operations and development manager with Airtricity said in 1990 the ESB National Grid said that wind could account for 30% of the energy requirements for the Irish national grid by 2000.

"In 2003, we are only producing approximately 2%. In 1999 the Government produced a green paper for sustainable energy under which the National Grid was required to facilitate wind energy into the grid.

"It is obvious that no such plans were ever made, and the five year National Development Plan which ESB National Grid were obliged to produce was never prepared or presented. Why?" Eddie O'Connor, Chief Executive of Airtricity said the current situation in Ireland was unacceptable.

"Despite having the best conditions for wind generation in Europe which the experts here today can reaffirm Ireland's renewable energy production is at such low levels that it corresponds to only 1% of the German level, 3% of Spain and 6% of Denmark.

"Ireland should be harnessing its natural resources and should be a net exporter of power rather than an importer," he said.