Winds of change blow through energy industry

FOLLOWING the recent articles in the Irish Examiner (April 22 and 24) discussing the lack of development of renewable energy in Ireland, it would be remiss of me as chairperson of the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) not to comment&.

In one article, Dermot Ahern TD, Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, commented extensively on the Government's Green Paper on Sustainable Energy published in 1999.

This paper targeted as an absolute minimum the installation of 500MW of additional generating capacity from renewable energy technologies, mainly from wind, by 2005.

Clearly, the use of renewable energy was seen to have an important role in the Government's strategy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, yet the number of completed Irish wind projects is disappointingly low. It appears that the Government has chosen to go down the road of implementing carbon taxes as an easier option. An extraordinary decision in view of the excellent wind resources we have.

Mr Ahern's latest support mechanism, Alternative Energy Requirement VI (AER VI), is a programme designed to encourage development. To the outside world, it appears that the Government is strongly committed to developing renewable sources of energy. Sadly, the reality is very different. Targets and policies are fine as long as they work and deliver results, the AER process has failed to deliver.

Harnessing energy from wind is a tried and tested technology. Worldwide, the wind market is in a state of rapid development. Wind is an invisible, clean, powerful energy source.

Irish renewable energy resources are the jewel in Ireland's energy supply crown we have the best resources in Europe, interest in developing and investing in the new technologies remains high and with the appropriate support policies renewable energy resources can make a huge contribution towards our Kyoto targets, delivering secure clean energy for future generations, at a stable and competitive price, at the same time creating tens of thousands of jobs. The power of wind is blowing strongly across Ireland and hopefully 2003 will prove that the winds of change have arrived.

If there is a will, we can begin an unprecedented period of growth and success for the industry.

Tim Cowhig,

Business Development Manager,

SWS Group,

Shinagh House,

Bandon,

Co Cork.