Sir, – How utterly depressing it was to read Kevin O’Sullivan’s report “Ireland second last in EU on climate action targets”, News, June 18th). Taken together with John FitzGerald’s recent analysis of the folly of our policy of subsidising peat-fired electricity (Business Opinion, June 15th), it makes the Minister of Climate Action and Environment’s recent exhortation to the EU (Business Today, June 16th) “to become as self-sufficient as possible in terms of energy” seem as hollow as the Department of Finance’s claim that we are not a tax haven.
With the exception of wind, the foot-dragging by Denis Naughten’s department in introducing renewable energy to Ireland’s electricity grid is incredible. Why, after all these years, do we not see the development of solar photovoltaic (PV) farms to complement our wind farm infrastructure? Why do we not see the widespread promotion of solar PV microgeneration for the many one-off houses and agricultural buildings in this country? The widespread adoption of this technology would result not only in less imported oil, but would also give a boost to the use of electric cars as the drivers would also be the generators of their own electricity.
I don’t really need to add that these technologies are already in use by our EU partners for many years. I suspect it is one of the reasons why 26 (out of 27) of them do better then we do in reaching their climate action targets. – Yours, etc,
GERARD WRIXON,
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Kinsale,
Co Cork.