Energy firms told to get involved

US ENERGY secretary Dr Steven Chu urged members of Irish energy companies and inventors to “urgently” get involved in renewable energy, at a “town hall meeting” in Dublin yesterday.

The Nobel physics laureate who is charged with implementing US president Barack Obama’s clean energy and climate-crisis agenda said he believed renewable energy is the “new industrial revolution”.

Dr Chu said innovation and investment in the search for clean energies should be placed on a war-like footing and he urged risktaking in investment akin to projects which developed radar, the internet and global satellite positioning.

“There is an urgency, I feel it in my bones. We have to deliver,” he told his invited audience in Government Buildings.

Responding, Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan offered Dr Chu advice on negotiations between the Republican Party and the Obama administration over funding for clean energy and climate-change strategies.

Mr Ryan referred to his namesake Republican congressman Paul Ryan who is expected to be instrumental in such negotiations.

The Minister urged Dr Chu to tell Mr Ryan he had seen the Irish national grid operating with 30 per cent wind generation. He said Dr Chu should report that “wind can be delivered at a market price” and that “it brings jobs”.

Mr Ryan also told the US secretary one-third of high-value business start-ups in the Republic were now involved in clean energy. “We have a new industry developing,” he said. “When talking to Congressman Ryan tell him we have put a price on carbon. It does work,” said the Minister, adding, carbon pricing “can raise revenues. Say Europe does it”.

Dr Chu is spending three days in Ireland and will address a sustainable energy conference in Dublin’s convention centre this morning. He will then visit prototype marine energy facilities at NUI Maynooth.