- The Irish Wind Farmers Association (IWFA) is voicing its concern about the blockage in the planning system which means 2030 targets cannot be achieved unless this problem is addressed.
- According to the members of IWFA, planning in Ireland is not fit for purpose, and it is preventing the development of onshore wind farms.
- Ireland has the worst renewable energy figures in Europe. Just 12% of the energy generated in 2020 was renewable.
- Locally-owned community and farmer-owned wind projects can play a pivotal role in reaching the 2030 targets.
The IWFA annual conference brings together industry leaders to discuss the issues in the renewable energy sector. Paddy Phelan, CEO of South East Energy Agency and Dr Paul Deane, Senior Lecture in Clean Energy Futures at University College Cork, are available for comments.
Media Release 01.11.2023
“We need to move the roadblocks off our road to deliver renewable energy in Ireland,” says Dr Paul Deane, Senior Lecture in Clean Energy Futures at University College Cork, keynote speaker at the upcoming Irish Wind Farmers Association (IWFA) Annual Conference. “Our system is part of the problem. The pieces of the puzzle are all there but we are not doing the jigsaw right. We can get this done but we are missing great opportunities.”
Top of the list for discussion at the Irish Wind Farmers Association Annual Conference in the Lyrath Hotel Kilkenny on Thursday, 23 November, will be the planning process and construction of the grid for energy distribution.
Members say that while the RESS (Renewable Energy Support Scheme) performed well in 2019 and 2021, it has fallen disastrously short of targets in 2023 contracts because of the blockage in the planning system followed by grid connection capacity. This will mean that the 2030 targets cannot be achieved unless this problem is addressed.
“Planning in this country is not fit for purpose. It is seen across the housing sector where projects are having objections raised daily to prevent NIMBYism. The same can be said for land-based wind energy sector. As we continue to miss housing targets and see the same issue we are now destined to see renewable energy targets missed by half if we are reliant on offshore wind being operational before 2030. Offshore wind will contribute significantly to 2040 and 2050 targets, but in IWFA members’ opinions, not 2030 ones,” said Paddy Phelan, Executive Member of the Irish Wind Farmers Association and CEO of South East Energy Agency.
IWFA represent almost one hundred farmers and landowners. They say that it is high time Minister Eamonn Ryan paid more attention to onshore and less to offshore. They point to the great opportunity for community development throughout the country, working alongside offshore, but needing immediate attention from Government. Communities forming Renewable Energy Communities and locally owned, farmer-led 1 and 2 turbine projects, is an area that IWFA say the policy is supportive of but planning is not.
Ireland has the worst renewable energy figures in Europe. We are at 12% of the energy generated in 2020, current estimates are that by 2030 Ireland will not reach 42% of all energy (not just electricity) from renewables. This opportunity is untapped with the planning and grid blockages impacting the development of onshore wind farms.
Dr Paul Deane points out that change is the only way forward “We have all seen and felt the impact of the ongoing energy crisis on families, communities, and businesses around Ireland.
At its core, this energy crisis is about fossil fuels, regrettably, Ireland is one of the most fossil fuel-dependent economies in Europe. The cost of our dependence on fossil fuels is the high prices we pay for energy, but we can choose to change this. Over the next two decades, we can produce most of our energy needs from clean, weather-driven renewables like wind and solar in Ireland. It will be affordable. It will be clean. And it will be ours. There is a huge opportunity for willing communities who have the ambition. But we must act. We must invest in the grid, and we must be agile when it comes to permitting suitable developments.”
Members of IWFA make an important contribution to local economies and opportunities are being missed. The role of locally-owned community and farmer-owned wind projects in making our targets for 2030 is crucial.
“The impact on our 2030 targets is clear,” says Phelan. “Let’s use the experience of the 46 locally owned wind farmer members of the IWFA and come together as members of the Irish Wind Farmers Association to fill that gap with community and locally farmer-owned 1 and 2 turbine projects to fill in where offshore will start to deliver, but in the next decade.”
Thomas Cooke, a founder member of IWFA and with over 20 years’ experience in the wind and energy industry questions the ability of Ireland to meet its future energy demands.
Mr Cooke says, “The electricity system is not ready for the massive increase in electricity demand from the heating and transport sectors and neither is it capable of connecting the required new on-land generation capacity that will be needed to maintain security of supply at reasonable prices. We need to adopt a proactive approach to building a grid. This is essential to grow community projects. The development time and cost of a grid connection are risk factors that locally developed projects cannot sustain.”
Paddy Phelan emphasises how vital it is to build an electricity grid with our development needs for 2030 and 2050 in mind.
“The 2030 and 2035 carbon budgets set by the Climate Advisory Council projections anticipate that 60% of all energy will be supplied through electricity for heating and power, underlining the necessity for robust infrastructure to support this transformation.”
“We aim to harness the untapped potential of small-scale wind developers through our community and locally farmer-owned wind projects, including those running one or two turbine projects. These initiatives can play a pivotal role in reaching our 2030 targets, especially when the offshore sector requires more time for development. We believe that the planning directives within RED II and III from the EU hold significant promise in facilitating locally-owned renewable wind energy projects. It’s crucial that we explore how these directives can assist on the ground, enabling us to realize this valuable renewable energy source and meet our collective goals.”
The conference brings together industry leaders, stakeholders and experts in the sector. Among topics also for discussion are price cap issues and the legislation around onshore wind projects. For more information and to attend the conference.
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