Ireland to launch consultation on clean energy package

Ireland plans to open a public consultation on its national energy and climate strategy to identify the best ways the country can meet EU’s target of 27% renewable energy by 2030.

The consultation, to be opened next month, was announced by the Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment, Sean Kyne, at the EirGrid Annual Conference taking place today in Dublin.

Kyne said it would assist the Irish government in the development of its national positions on the proposals set out in EU’s ‘Clean Energy for All’ package, published last year in November.

The package contains eight legislative proposals and almost one hundred associated documents, with key areas covering energy efficiency, market design, renewable energy and governance.

Kyne said: “The renewable energy package includes the extension of the national 2020 targets to 2030. The level of growth in the Irish economy combined with delivery of energy efficiency savings, will determine the extent of measures and investment required to achieve the 2030 target. We therefore should not underestimate the challenge of meeting the 2030 EU-level binding target of at least 27% of renewable energy.”