Failure on energy could cost up to €1bn

IRELAND faces fines of up €1 billion for its poor record on renewable energy, Fine Gael has warned.

MEP Avril Doyle said the Government had failed to implement the EU Emissions Trading Directive, which caps the amount of carbon dioxide that large factories and power plants can emit each year. She also said Ireland was the worst renewable energy producer in Europe, with just 2% of our electricity coming from renewable sources, compared to more than 20% in Germany and Denmark.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Ireland was also far behind in its efforts to meet the targets set by the Kyoto Treaty. Greenhouse gas emissions are running at 39% above 1990 levels, three times the 13% target set at Kyoto.

"We're miles away from our targets and if we don't make them, it's going to hit everybody in the pocket. For example, if the ESB can't meet the targets, they'll have to trade emissions with another country. That will be hugely expensive and they will have to pass that on in their bill," EPA director Dr Padraic Larkin said.

The EPA has set up 190 projects to survey the Irish environment and present ways of reducing damage. Around €28 million of funding has been committed under the National Development Plan and early results will be presented at a Pathways conference in Dublin next month.

Many businesses have benefited under the EPA's Cleaner/Greener strand of projects, including a galvanising firm in Waterford.

"The factory was close to a local school and the owner always had complaints from the teacher about the smell. Since he changed the production process, there are no emissions at all. He can hold his head up and the employees are much happier as well," Dr Larkin said.

Tretorn, a major tennis ball manufacturer in Portlaoise, Co Laois, used to require over 400 tonnes of solvents every year. It has reduced that figure by up to 70% under the EPA scheme and is now hoping to manufacture its tennis balls without solvents at all.

"There's often a certain reluctance among companies to move away from their manufacturing process if they've got a good product. But we are trying to demonstrate to all of them the benefits of cleaner/greener," Dr Larkin said.

Another project which will feature at the Pathways conference next month is a study of air quality levels at five Irish locations. A project team from NUI Galway has set up measuring equipment in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Wicklow.