Launching a proposed new guide to help local authorities expedite renewable energy developments, the Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Dr Brian Motherway said that if Ireland is to meet its binding targets to year 2020, cut €1 billion in annual fossil fuel imports, save over 8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and support 13,000 jobs in the process, we need to more than double our use of renewable energy over the next 8 years.

"These benefits are well worth chasing but delivering is no easy task. To make this happen, many organisations will need to work together," Dr. Motherway added.

"It is important that the planning process is well equipped to facilitate the pace of development of wind generation capacity. This is why SEAI has been working in partnership with representative bodies to develop a new guide that will encourage all local authorities to adopt a structured and consistent framework for renewable energy planning. This will provide clear signals to renewable energy developers and help ensure that projects are delivered more quickly, in the right places and in the right way, in accordance with good planning and environmental practice."

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Continuing, Dr Motherway said: "Ireland has been successful in its development of renewable energy to date, having trebled its usage in the past twelve years. The growth in wind energy deployment especially is a real success story, and we’ve shown that we can deliver. We now need to continue that push to achieve our binding national target of 16% of energy supply from renewables, and reap the obvious economic and societal benefits."

Statistics also published by SEAI show that the share of national energy demand met from renewable energy grew by 20% during 2011 and now stands at 6.5%. This growth was mainly in wind energy production which accounted for almost half of the renewable contribution in 2011. Last year the displacement of fossil fuel by renewable energy equated to an avoidance of almost €400 million in fossil fuel imports and 3.6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions – equivalent to the annual energy needs of almost 350,000 homes.

(CD)