This was an Irish political seminar like no other — with one wannabe politician selling himself to voters as somebody "who has driven several Prius", uses Airtricity, and has worked with Amazonian tribes to help them access legal aid.

If the upgrade to the national electricity grid is not carried out, the country will face blackouts, Gridlink project manager John Lowry said yesterday.

The gradual conversion of the country’s largest power station from coal to biomass would allow Ireland to meet its renewable energy targets “in one single stroke”, according to a British energy expert who completed a report for one of the country’s anti-pylon groups.