Ireland faces fines of €600m a year from the EU for failing to meet renewable energy targets and cutting carbon emissions by 2020.

Energy Policy Ireland

The wind industry continues to operate a ruthless cloak-and-dagger, divide-and-conquer strategy. “Community gain funds” and payouts have resulted in disharmony and disagreement among neighbours, sometimes causing major family fallouts. Turbine construction is governed by out-dated planning guidelines ...which allow them just 500m from homes, sometimes resulting in devastating consequences for families. 

Energy Policy Ireland

New Cabinet minister Denis Naughten says further public consultation is needed on the issue of wind turbines.

Energy Policy Ireland

But Mr Kelly said he is confident that the government will produce details of a new set back distance for wind turbines prior to the General Election. The new rules are expected to increase the minimum distance between turbines and private residences. The current distance is 500m.

Energy Policy Ireland

The recommendation for Northern Ireland to revamp its whole approach to wind farms is “long overdue”, according to campaigners. They were reacting to a major report by Stormont’s environment committee this week, which called for a tightening up of planning rules around such developments.

Energy Policy Ireland

While the crashing to earth of turbines might have damaged wind energy’s image, opposition is much more deep-seated and points to environmental, societal and health impacts and questions the economic benefits, writes Noel Baker.

Impact on People Energy Policy Ireland

The UK wind debate assumes that wind farms operate at roughly their average output most of the time. According to this new paper by Dr. Capell Aris’, this assumption is not true. Power comes only extremely intermittently and variably and there are long periods of negligible efficiency, particularly during the long winter months when power is most needed. A 10GW wind fleet would need approximately 9.5GW of fossil capacity to guarantee its output. A summary from the report of Dr. Aris' findings is provided below. The full report can be accessed by clicking the links on this page.

Energy Policy UK Europe Ireland

U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Davey said more work is needed to conclude a renewable-power trading pact with Ireland after prime ministers of the two nations met.

Energy Policy Ireland UK

A change in EU policy which has scaled back mandatory renewable energy targets from 2020 has also changed the emphasis from wind energy. “Energy is now top of the agenda in the UK. The British government policy on energy is in an absolute state of dysfunction. There is a battle between the two parties [Conservatives and Liberal Democrats],” the negotiator said.

Energy Policy Ireland UK

The slow pace of negotiations between Ireland and Britain over plans to build 40 windfarms across the Midlands has derailed the project. The scheme, which envisaged thousands of wind turbines across five counties, will now be put on hold.

Energy Policy Ireland UK

An agreement between the Irish and British governments to permit power to traded between the two countries is now unlikely to go ahead, effectively shelving scores of windfarms across the midlands region. The lack of agreement will be good news to residents who had mounted huge opposition to the plans in areas where large-scale wind farms were due to be developed.

Energy Policy Ireland UK

Environmentalists say targets for renewables, energy savings and the climate are all essential and have been proved to work. But energy suppliers argue that generous subsidies for renewable sources have distorted the market, while they have had to close down gas-fired power plants because they cannot compete. "The risk of black-outs has never been higher."

Energy Policy Ireland

It is "far too soon" to make final judgments on which of the export-orientated windfarm projects now being mooted will be approved and under what terms. "There is no fait accompli at this stage. None of this has reassured objectors, who are concerned about the noise and visual impact of onshore turbines and also see the export of wind energy to Britain as equivalent to "selling the family silver".

Impact on People Energy Policy Impact on Landscape Ireland

Failure to meet the deadline will result in non-compliance costs potentially amounting to between €100m and €150m per year, for each percentage shortfall in renewable energy, and a further €250m in emissions permit purchases.

Energy Policy Ireland

Ireland's Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte, and the UK's energy secretary Edward Davey signed a memorandum of understanding to move forward plans to allow Irish wind farms to export electricity to Britain.

Energy Policy UK Ireland

A change to the curtailment rules introduced towards the end of last year means that instead of all wind generators being asked to reduce their electricity production, newer wind farms will have to bear the burden of curtailment, which in turn will affect their ability to generate revenues.

Energy Policy Ireland

A forthcoming report by the Irish Academy of Engineers (IAE) expresses alarm at the lack of any comprehensive analysis of the costs of the country's current energy policy, while multinationals and other businesses remain deeply concerned about the potential costs of the Government's commitment to generating 40 per cent of our electricity from wind power.

Energy Policy Ireland

The wind farmers sell on the electricity to the big electricity companies, who have the potential to reap enormous profits. Under the REFIT scheme, big electricity companies are under no obligation to pass on any of these profits to electricity customers in the form of reduced bills.

Energy Policy Ireland

Last week the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) called for a halt on a proposed €30bn spend on the national energy infrastructure so that a proper assessment of future energy needs as well as the economic benefit of the massive investment in renewable power could be addressed. ...Plans are now afoot to deliver up to 7,800 MW of wind power on the island of Ireland, with a mixture of onshore and offshore projects in the pipeline. It may well help reduce our carbon emissions, but at what cost?

Energy Policy Impact on Economy Ireland

The developer of one of the most ambitious wind farm developments in Ireland has expressed frustration at the planning process for renewable energy projects. Brian Britton is co-founder and managing director of Oriel Windfarm, which hopes to build an offshore wind farm with 55 turbines off the north-east coast close to Dundalk. The project has been under development for four years and is at the final stage of the planning process.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning Ireland