Sinkholes Tellus Border Earthquake - Geological Survey of Ireland

Geology Matters: Summer 2013
Agreement with UK on Renewable Energy
On January 24th, the Minister
for Communications Energy
& Natural Resources, Pat
Rabbitte, TD, and the UK
Secretary for Energy and
Climate Change, Edward Davey,
MP signed a Memorandum of
Understanding to work closely
together to secure economic
benefits for both Ireland and the
U.K. through trade in renewable
energy.
Minister Rabbitte said “Ireland
has the potential to generate far
more wind energy than we could
consume domestically. The
opportunity to export this green
power presents an opportunity
for employment growth and
export earnings which we must
seize if we can. Today the two
Governments are committing
themselves to a programme of
work”. The MOU affirms the two
States’ commitment to:
• Maintaining a strong
partnership on energy
issues;
• Achieve closer integration
of electricity markets;
• Maximise the sustainable
use of low carbon
renewable energy
resources.
This will trigger detailed
analysis of how Irish renewable
energy resources, onshore and
offshore, might be developed to
The UK Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, Edward Davey, MP
and the Minister for Communications Energy & Natural Resources, Pat
Rabbitte, TD,.
the mutual benefit of Ireland and
the United Kingdom. Any such
trading of renewable energy
between the two States will seek
to achieve more cost efficient
uses of resources, drive down
deployment costs, be sustainable
in the long term, and reduce
dependence on fossil fuels.
If analysis shows that
renewables trading would be to
mutual benefit, the next stage
would be to develop an intergovernmental
agreement for
signing in 2014. A tight timeline
is essential if potential projects,
which would be selected through
an open competitive process,
are to commence exporting wind
energy from Ireland to the United
Kingdom by 2020.
GSI have been actively involved
in mapping suitable sites for
offshore renewables, through
the Infomar Programme, in
conjunction with SEAI.
“From a GSI perspective the
agreement with the UK is likely
to stimulate further interest in
development of wind energy
both on and off shore, and
further interaction with our
stakeholders. Already INFOMAR
is involved in mapping areas
suitable for marine renewable
energy, frequently in consultation
with SEAI. While onshore GSI is
a statutory consultee in relation
to wind farm development,
particularly in relation to the
dangers of peat failures and
landslides.”
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