Minister calls for a 2020 vision on renewable energy

New proposals to secure cost effective, environmentally friendly power sources for the future were published today by the British and Irish Government’s.

Energy Minister, Angela Smith and her Republic of Ireland counterpart Noel Dempsey, published a joint preliminary consultation paper setting out proposals for a ‘2020 Vision’ for the integration of renewable energy within the All-island Energy Market.

The Ministers agreed on the need to respond collectively to the common economic and environmental challenges facing Northern Ireland and the Republic, and called for an open debate on how to plan for sustainable energy supplies through to 2020 and beyond.

Their action places Northern Ireland and the Republic at the forefront of the European debate on the development of sustainable energy markets, they said.

Angela Smith said: “Noel Dempsey and I are determined to maximise the use of the renewable energy resources and technologies available to the island of Ireland in a way that promotes economic growth, delivers electricity and heat to homes efficiently, and also protects the environment.”

Minister Dempsey added: “We have a common, excessive reliance on energy imports. The development and harnessing of our indigenous energy resources on a shared basis will maximise efficiencies.

“It is a shared practical step to complement the substantial body of work ongoing in both energy markets. I look forward to substantial and innovative responses to this consultation and look forward to the downward movement in energy imports for the benefit off all energy consumers.”

The ministerial paper and supporting document ‘All-island Energy Market: Renewable Electricity, a 2020 Vision’ are available on the DETI Energy website at www.detini.gov.uk.’

Cooperation on all-island energy issues is set out in the ‘All-island Energy Market Development Framework’ agreed by Ministers in November 2004, which is also available at the same site.

(MB/SP)