ESB is investing billions to prove its commitment to renewable energy

I WISH to correct inaccurate and misleading references to ESB in your editorial (November 13) dealing with climate change and headlined ‘Sleepwalking towards a disaster’.

You refer to ESB’s plans for renewable energy as being “pathetically unambitious”, adding that the company hopes to meet just 4.5% of the country’s energy needs through renewables by 2020. The facts are as follows. In March 2008, ESB committed to spend in excess of €11 billion in renewable energy support through direct investment in green energy projects and improving the electricity infrastructure to support Ireland’s targets of at least 33% of electricity from renewables sources — up to 6,000 megawatts of wind on the grid — by 2020. This spend is part of a €22bn capital investment programme to make ESB carbon-neutral by 2035.

Last year, 11% of Ireland’s energy needs were met by renewable energy. ESB, as just one generating company in the energy market, has committed to constructing 1,400mw of wind energy in Ireland by 2020; this will equate to one-third of ESB’s generation portfolio.

The company has also committed to becoming Ireland’s largest renewables generator. These targets are, by any standards, “ambitious” and key elements in helping the country meet our emissions targets and reduce the impact of climate change.

Aidan O’Regan

Deputy Chief Executive

ESB

Fitzwilliam Street

Dublin