The Government has defended its guarantee to ensure that one-third of electricity comsumption in Ireland will come from renewable sources in 13 years' time.
Minister for Energy Noel Dempsey
Responding to press suggestions the Government's new targets, outlined in the White Paper on energy published today, were unrealistic, Minister for Communications and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey admitted the plans were "very ambitious" but insisted the Government would meet them.
The Government plans to raise reliance on renewable energy sources to 33 per cent by 2020 and plans to achieve a level of 15 per cent within just three years, by 2010 and limit dependence on natural gas for power generation to 50 per cent by 2020.
Renewable sources include wind, wave and solar generated energy, but the Government says it expects that wind power will comprise the largest proportion of renewable energy in Ireland over the coming years, while it actively encourages biomass power generation.
Mr Dempsey said the Government was also committed to more research into tidal energy, and the outright ban on nuclear power was also maintained.
He said there was a current budget of €150 million in the National Development Plan for research into ocean and tidal energy and pledged further funding in this area.
"Our energy market will have a reliable supply, competitive prices, cleaner and more diverse energy sources, underpinned by robust interconnection, optimum infrastructure and ambitious technology investment," he added.
"This is the vision of an energy future, which we will create through a collective national enterprise, to deliver for future generations."
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Dick Roche said it was necessary to make ambitious plans to move further towards renewable energy sources, in terms of dealing with climate change.
"It's right, it's proper and it's appropriate to set these targets . . . and we will achieve them," he said.
Mr Dempsey also said the ESB's market share of power generation would be reduced and that a land bank of power generation sites would be created.
The White Paper recommends the development of an all-island electricity network and the building of new electricity interconnectors between the Republic and Northern Ireland with Britain.
It also maintains the prohibition on nuclear generation and says it will "monitor developments in other member states and global trends in terms of implications for Ireland".
Speaking at Government Buildings this morning Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said: "The needs of our growing population also include taking steps today to protect and preserve our environment for tomorrow.
"In this context, energy policy and environmental policy can be seen as two sides of the same coin. The Government is committed to ensuring that sustainable development underpins future policy formation, right across the policy spectrum.
"Climate change due to increased greenhouse gas emissions is now recognised as perhaps the most significant policy issue internationally. While in Ireland we have made significant progress in decoupling economic growth from emission levels, we can and must do more to ensure that our economic development is environmentally sustainable while remaining internationally competitive."
Today's White Paper, entitled Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland, comes after EU leaders last week agreed to 20 per cent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade.