WAVE power and the incineration of waste for energy are, among the proposals announced yesterday by the Minister of State for Energy as part of a renewable energy policy initiative.
Mr Emmet Stagg announced a £100 million programme for the development of renewable energy between now and 2000. It includes the installation of an additional 100 megawatts of electricity from renewable energy by the end of the century and the installation of a further 310 MW, of renewable energy by 2010, a pilot wave energy to electricity plant and special initiatives for biomass and waste to energy projects from time to time.
The Minister also said that third parties producing renewable energy would be allowed to sell directly to the consumer through the national electricity network.
These initiatives will result in 6 per cent of electricity coming, from renewable sources by 2000. The plan will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 250,000 tonnes a year by the end of the century.
Yesterday's announcement follows an Alternative Energy Requirement (AER1) competition earlier this year, which resulted in contracts being offered for 34 projects.
The Minister's initiative receives £7.5 million in support from the European Regional Development Fund.
Mr Stagg announced competitions to supply an additional 100 MW of renewable energy by 1999, the drawing up of a scheme for small scale producers, £1 million for the building of a pilot wave generating plant to produce one MW in 1998, and the working out of tax incentives for renewable energy development. Details of the first competition will be announced in August.
Mr Stagg warned of the dramatic fall in Ireland's self sufficiency in energy. "According to the forecasts, imported energy will account for 93 per cent of the total supply in 2010", he said.
"We simply must act to redress this projected fuel supply imbalance and external dependency."