Ireland is planning to diversify its mix of renewable energy generation to include other technologies in a bid to reduce its dependence on onshore wind.
Dublin today set out its decarbonisation plan that includes a range of strategies in a number of areas including energy generation and transport as part of a draft Mitigation Plan.
The draft plan says onshore wind has been the most cost-competitive renewable electricity technology in Ireland, accounting for 22.8% of overall electricity generation by end-2015.
However, “it is intended to diversify” to include bioenergy, solar, offshore wind and other technologies, according to the report.
“It is clear that there are no easy options to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions on the scale required in the coming decades,” said energy minister Denis Naughten.
“The options presented in the draft will be complex and often expensive to implement. However, in many cases these options will have a range of environmental, economic and other benefits, not just in relation to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also as a potential source of employment or in improving our air quality, for example.”
In addition, the plan says Ireland needs to add 880MW of renewable energy generation in order to meet its 2020 electricity target.
A public consultation on the proposals is now underway with a deadline for submission of 26 April.
Image: reNEWS
