A public lecture has been held in Sligo, promoting the merits of wind energy.

The event was hosted by Engineers Ireland and focused on the 'Spirit of Ireland', the national project for energy independence.

Launched last May, the initiative proposes storing wind energy in pumped seawater reservoirs along the western Irish coast.

Graham O'Donnell of the project team said: "Electricity demand varies enormously over a given 24 hour period.

"While there is an abundant wind energy resource in Ireland, output cannot be controlled to meet varying energy demand as is typical with conventional power stations.

"Therefore to utilise surplus wind energy when it is available, the energy produced needs to be stored."

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The Spirit of Ireland project plans to construct water storage reservoirs at natural high points along the coast.

Wind energy would be used to pump seawater from sea level to the upper reservoirs.

This water is then released through turbines which generate electricity when needed.

While this proposal is innovative, there are significant challenges also including agricultural, environmental and social impacts.

Ireland already has one such pumped storage facility at Turlough Hill in Co Wicklow. Built in the late 1960s the upper reservoir contains over two million cubic metres of water, which is controlled to provide a balance between day and night time electricity demands.

Michael Carty, Chairman of Engineers Ireland Northwest Region, said, in economic terms, Ireland's future is bound up with the cost, security and stable supply of energy.

"At present we are highly dependent on imported fossil fuels and are therefore exposed to volatile international prices for oil and gas.

"The Spirit of Ireland project as proposed, is so vast in scale it will provide all of Ireland's energy requirements within five years, and will directly impact on Ireland's economy, security of energy supply and carbon targets."

(PR/BMcC)