Sir, – Floating offshore wind turbines are not yet viable; Gas Networks Ireland warns that there will be insufficient gas to cover peaks in demand; and we have not yet identified a large-scale or geological hydrogen storage facility in Ireland.
Ireland is already turning away new industry – including data centres at the start of the AI revolution, which looks like an own goal of considerable proportions – due to a shortage of clean electricity. We’ve also shown little ability to construct the new pylons needed to transmit the power from remote renewable energy locations to the cities and towns that need the energy, and are not building enough onshore wind turbines to meet our ambitious renewable energy goals.
It hardly needs saying that relying on weather-dependent energy systems in a changing climate will have limited energy security benefits.
We face these significant risks and already labour under the most expensive wholesale electricity prices in Europe, while extra storage and other infrastructure can only increase total costs.
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These risks can all be mitigated with an alternative being used or considered in most EU countries and advanced societies that we willingly visit for work and leisure – nuclear energy.
Installing suitable nuclear energy here on existing power station sites would directly replace fossil fuels, use existing pylons and infrastructure, provide a just transition for a retrained workforce, use less land and materials per unit of energy produced, increase reliability and security of supply, and stabilise prices at a much lower level than trying to proceed without nuclear.
There is no silver bullet that will solve the clean energy crisis, but it appears reckless to continue to ignore nuclear energy – still the largest single source of electricity in the EU – as a way to help renewables in their struggle to eliminate emissions. To remain consistent with Ireland’s policy of developing a knowledge economy, we must drop the anti-nuclear clause from the 2024 Planning Bill and openly consider the best interests of the people of Ireland in our nascent clean energy crisis. – Yours, etc,
DENIS DUFF,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.