Wind power could create jobs bonanza

Ireland has the potential to create three jobs for every thousand home powered by the wind, it was claimed today.

As the European Commission offered €2.35bn funding for new energy research, experts detailed the benefits renewable resources could have for the economy.

Thierry D’Estaintot, a senior research officer with the EC, said Ireland could follow the lead of Germany which has 60,000 people employed in a wind energy industry generating 20,000 megawatts of power.

One megawatt of electricity is enough for 1,000 homes.

Renewables such as wind and wave power alone are expected to grow tenfold over the next two years.

But Mr D’Estaintot warned improvements had to be made to the national grid before the full benefits of green energy could hit our homes.

“The main obstacle in my opinion is a grid connection. If you want to exploit distinct generation from a wind farm you lack sufficient points of connection, and if you want to improve the grid integration of wind energy it will take some time,” he said.

The warning came as experts prepared to gather in Dublin for a conference on the funding available for wind and ocean technologies. It is being made available to universities, governments and companies across Europe through the €2.35bn of grants for new energy research.

Each project must be a venture involving three EU nations and proposals should be submitted in May and June.

It is the first time the European Commission has offered separate funding for energy research, in particular renewables. The EC is asking for proposals for projects focusing on energy efficiency, hydrogen and fuel cells, clean coal, carbon capture and storage and energy networks.

A conference is being held in Dublin to allow industry chiefs, university staff and government officials from across Europe to meet.

Lobbyists pushing for more emphasis on wind power claim wind power could create a total of 385,000 jobs across Europe. They also estimate that with the right legal and financial support, wind projects could provide energy for 50 million people over the next decade.

The experts will spend Thursday assessing the wind and wave energy research test site off the coast of Spiddal, Co Galway. Wavebob, the first wave energy generator, was deployed late last year to examine the potential for electricity generation from waves.