Ireland’s Economic Opportunity Lies in Renewables

While addressing the present at the Energy Ireland Conference in Dublin, on May 30 Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte highlighted the potential the country has in renewable energy sources.

Mr Rabbitte introduced the matter by saying: “Reducing our dependency on fossil fuel imports, ensuring investment in the networks and delivering investor certainty through predictable responsive regulatory and policy frameworks are key drivers for energy policy.”

The Government’s goals are to support the development of a renewable electricity export market. Actions contained in the Renewable Energy Strategy, launched this week, aim to utilization of the huge renewable energy resources as much as possible.

Moreover, by realising these energy plans, Ireland is expected to considerably recover its economy and increase the employment rate. On that path, Minister Rabbitte is meeting his counterpoint in London next month to create conditions for development.

“Ireland’s renewable energy potential greatly exceeds our domestic needs. Our rich onshore and offshore wind resources together with our untapped ocean energy resources represent a real economic opportunity for this country in the medium term. In order to make it happen we must set about immediately to create conditions for this development,” he said.

“I believe that a stretching but achievable level of ambition will deliver energy savings across the energy sector and the economy and create jobs and sustainable growth.” 

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Offshore WIND staff, May 31, 2012; Image: DCENR