Ireland lacks an energy master plan for the coming decades, including a detailed outline of “what a net-zero economy looks like”, according to Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy.
Although there is a multitude of policy frameworks, technology-specific strategies, action plans and initiatives in place, there is “no strategic vision or master plan of our energy system”, he told the annual Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) conference on Thursday.
The country is in a unique position in being able to become a global leader in sustainable energy, he said. Its wind resource “could be the actual backbone of our future energy system”, while boosting competitiveness and driving investment.
“Ireland, demonstrably, lacks a clear vision for what a net zero economy looks like beyond the target that is set. It’s very difficult to know how those targets will be delivered, if at all,” he added.
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An energy master plan was needed to respond to the current global environment and what was to come including more polarisation and protectionism.
This meant, notwithstanding Ireland’s strong economic position, “great uncertainty on the interplay of the different [available] technologies and climate solutions”. Further complicating matters were constraints for resources, skills and finance, he said.
Despite Ireland’s strong economy, choices would have to be made rather than avoided, Mr McCoy said, in a scenario where “we have no real forecast of what the transition means for energy prices or for systems reliability after 2032, a period when the State plans to significantly expand renewables capacity.”
“So we need a clear vision and a new energy master plan to drive investment, buy-in and better policymaking.”
Separately, SSE Renewables managing director Stephen Wheeler told the conference that the state of the planet – which has just experienced its warmest year with record carbon emissions – has to be the prime consideration in responding to a dual climate and nature crisis.
In addition to the moral and societal obligations to respond in the appropriate way, the immense costs associated with climate-related extreme weather events had to be faced up to, he added, highlighting the risk from a much different world if a three-degree rise occurred – based on only implementing current policies.
Despite the threats, there was “massive opportunity” in addition to a “big challenge”, Mr Wheeler said. There was a global commitment to triple renewable energy by 2030 while the number of people employed in the renewables sector was at 30 million, now exceeding those working in fossil fuels – in Ireland’s case, that amounted to 6,000 to 7,000 people.
SSE is building the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, which will generate 3.6 gigawatts in the North Sea, a project of globally significant scale. But this needed to be put in the context of the world needing “2,000 Dogger Banks between now and 2030″.
Mr Wheeler highlighted that not a single megawatt of offshore wind was provided in Ireland over the 20 years since the Arklow Bank was built. He acknowledged progress, especially with 5GW of onshore, but only 770MW was consented last year. “We need to get back to taking big leaps as distinct to small steps,” he added.
WEI chief executive Noel Cunniffe said improved resourcing of An Bord Pleanála was having a positive impact in terms of projects progressing through the planning system, though many were rejected, notably on the basis of current county development plans.
“The extra resources that Government has put into An Bord Pleanála, the National Parks & Wildlife Service and other planning authorities is welcome. We are starting to see the effect of that in the number of decisions being made and particularly towards the end of last year,” he added.
In 2024 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for 10 new wind farms with a combined capacity of 717 megawatts but this was approximately 42 per cent of the volume of wind energy needed to keep Ireland on track under the Government’s climate targets.
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