SDLP Chairman of the Assembly Enterprise, Trade and Investment committee, Patsy McGlone, has backed calls for DETI Minister Arlene Foster to work closely with the Executive to develop a strategy for a carbon-free future.

He said: "The cost of our energy supply, which is so heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, runs to £2.3bn each year, whereas energy production using renewable sources is not only cheaper and more eco-friendly, but is a great catalyst for job creation.

"There is also a huge range of renewable energy sources here in Ireland, from wind and hydroelectric power to geothermal and photovoltaic energy.

"Other countries across the planet – regardless of national wealth - are developing renewable energy strategies at a much faster and more pro-active rate than here in Ireland. Albania and Iceland, for instance, are 100% renewable energy nations, while New Zealand, which is very similar in nature to Ireland, has 76% of its energy from renewable sources.

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"Meanwhile the UK and Ireland are at a level as low as 10 or 12%.

"Harnessing the potential of the renewables sector is something that cuts across multiple departments: while energy supply itself falls under DETI, the Finance Minister will look after making renewable technologies mandatory as part of new-builds, DSD will oversee the massive jobs potential of the Green New Deal, OFMDFM take care of the renewable energy requirements of public buildings and my colleague Alex Attwood will look after major infrastructure projects in the sector.

"Add to this the financial incentives generated by the new Green Investment Bank and we have a set of opportunities just waiting to be harnessed by a pro-active, far-sighted strategy for the renewables sector – something the SDLP has been arguing for a long time.

"Fortunately, we have a mechanism in place through the Sustainable Energy Inter-Departmental Working Group which has said it will generate a strategy up to 2050 – something it must come good on.

"I am also glad that we have made some movement on this topic through the Sustainable Energy Framework which seeks to implement a strategy to have 40% of our electricity and 10% of our heating coming from renewable sources by 2020."

(CD)