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Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Letters to the Editor: Sacrificing assets to hit unreachable targets
Environment minister Darragh O'Brien should reflect on his recent comments that specific guidelines around the installation of solar farms are not necessarily required for Ireland. Given that the Government agreed to the unachieveable targets for 2030 with no mandate from the Irish people and recent reports from Irish Academy of Engineering's Eamon O'Reilly, this push to roll out solar farms ignores all the warning signs of the reckless sacrifices of food production land, health and welfare of communities, and depopulation of rural communities due to the risk of living in an energy-producing industrial estate. We have no government guidelines requiring fire safety reports for solar farms, no glint and glare guidelines on which to base reports, and these are 40-year developments that will change the environment in which people live. Climate change is real, as is risk to security of supply, but why sacrifice our nation's assets to a renewable energy source dependant on climate? Why has our Government not looked to the future by putting in place alternative, more reliable, energy sources? Or is it just easier to sacrifice the country's assets in a futile attempt to achieve the unachieveable targets? Maybe our Goverment should reflect on what will be lost to communities due to the lack of a realistic approach regarding renewable energy and the planning around it. Mr O'Brien states that the economic benefits of investing in our grid and renewables for people in this country will be vast. Who are those 'people'? I, for one, cannot see any benefit as I live at the foothill of the Ballyhouras in Ballyhea in a rural, agricultural community, that will be transformed into a large-scale industrial energy-producing estate. Jess Foley, Charleville, Co Cork Genocide in Gaza by design Regarding the article: 'We are in Israel's endgame for Gaza — we must stop it now' (Irish Examiner, May 16). This is an excellent piece of journalism. On the one hand, a personal and impassioned plea to stop the genocide, while at the same time a concise and accurate account of what had happened to the civilians in Gaza. Widespread famine looms, a man-made famine that can be addressed at any moment by the Israeli government. Release the trucks and prevent starvation. The article is clear and correct, this is genocide by design to destroy the population of the Gaza Strip, force them out and reoccupy the strip. All leaders and all media need to stand up to the Israeli and US governments to stop the genocide. Eileen Moore, Drimoleague, Cork Culture change for public spending I did not know whether to laugh or cry when I heard that an audit found there had been no value for money assessment on the €336,000 Leinster House bike shelter. This audit, conducted by Deloitte, highlights the fact that there was an absence of some fundamental good practices for projects such as the bike shed. This audit also found that while the OPW had a programme management plan in place, it was not necessarily easy to navigate. All I can say in response to same, is that an amateur could have come up with these findings. In response to this report, we learn that the OPW has now promised to address the specifics of this report. It's my assertion that unless the culture of corruption and cronyism is addressed, all these reports will fall under the rubric of window dressing. The next time we face another scandal of this nature, we will no doubt have another audit report, which will again be followed by the familiar rhetoric of new lessons have been learned. Unless the culture is addressed within these entities, nothing will ever change. John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Grading changes spark AI concerns Education minister Helen McEntee has warned that second-level teachers could lose up to 5% of pay due under public service deals if they fail to co-operate with proposed Leaving Cert reforms. This confrontational approach is ill-advised as teachers have legitimate concerns about the integrity, equity, and fairness of the proposed 'additional assessment components' (AAC), based on candidates' unsupervised external work. An AAC will be worth at least 40% of the marks and is reputedly designed to assess students' skills and competencies in a way that a terminal written exam cannot. All new and revised Leaving Cert subjects will include at least one AAC. Seven revised Leaving Cert subjects as well as two new subjects — Drama, Film and Theatre Studies and Climate Action and Sustainable Development — are due for introduction in September. Further sets of revised subjects will be phased in annually until 2029. The official view that the AAC will reduce the stress on students at the terminal written exams is psychologically naive. Teachers have concerns about the Leaving Cert reforms, particularly accelerating their implementation amid growing concerns about assessment integrity. Teachers feel that there is a lack of knowledge and guidance on the use of AI and on the authentication of work submitted by students. Smaller class sizes, more access to IT in classrooms, more support for students with special education needs and less well-off students are also priorities for teachers. The minister must take the teachers' concerns on board as the devil is in the detail. Consider the effect of the AAC in higher level maths. The AAC is worth at least 40% of the marks — Grade H6 or 46 CAO points. But as 25 bonus points are awarded in higher level maths for Grade H6 or above, many candidates will have scored 71 CAO points in maths ever before sitting the terminal exam. Expect the AI experts to be on that gravy train! Billy Ryle Tralee, Co Kerry Fuelling EV sales In my opinion, the two biggest deterrents to take up of EVs are (1) the price of petrol and (2) mis-information about EV batteries. I would love to see the EV sales figures when petrol was hitting €2 per litre. Put petrol to €3 per litre and sales will soar. Range anxiety only really exists when people buy the wrong car for their usage pattern. Buying one with a battery size appropriate to your daily needs is very important. And a home charger is a must for economical usage. Cormac Champion, Ballinteer, Dublin Cost to see clearly Families are being forced to spend hundreds of euro just so a child can see — and that is simply not right. My granddaughter is four years old. She has a prescription of +7.5 in one eye and +7.25 in the other. Without her glasses, she cannot see. The HSE provides just one pair, including thinning for her strong prescription. But there's no provision for a second pair. We had to buy another pair privately. The cost? €270 — including €170 for thinning the lenses and €100 for the frames. What happens when that one pair breaks or is lost, as is common with young children? For her, it would mean functional blindness until they're replaced — unless we pay. A second pair of glasses for children with high prescriptions should be part of standard care. Public health should not rely on private means for a child to see. Catherine Masterson, Carlow Trump's failures US president Trump has had many failures and, in fairness, some successes. For instance, he failed to fix the Ukraine-Russia war in 24 hours. He failed to solve the genocidal war in Gaza and failed to make Canada the 51st state. He has failed to take over Greenland and the Panama Canal. His deluded tariff war has backfired spectacularly, leading to increased inflation and possibly a recession. But as for his successes, he has succeeded in making the USA the laughing stock of the world and he himself its greatest buffoon, if a dangerous one. He has succeeded in alienating America's closest allies and needlessly disrupted the global trading system. Perhaps his greatest impact is that he has embarrassed millions of American citizens who are leaving in droves, many of whom are planning to come to Ireland and the EU. The only consolation is that many of his Maga supporters, as they face increasing prices while losing their jobs, medical aid and social insurance, are slowly beginning to realise that they were conned by Trump and his sycophants, and will hopefully respond accordingly in the midterm elections next year. John Leahy, Wilton, Cork Read More Letters to the Editor: System fails people with disabilities
Irish Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘Impossible' to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050 and transition to clean energy could push up electricity prices
It could be described as a ferocious, quick-fire double punch. The target? The critical players leading Ireland's clean energy transition over coming decades and pursuit of the Holy Grail, a net-zero economy by 2050. The rude awakening, in effect, poured scorn on big talk that it's simply a matter of time before Ireland becomes 'the Saudi Arabia of wind '; exporting vast quantities of electrons to power mainland Europe. First came an unusually outspoken report from the National Economic and Social Council (Nesc) released on Good Friday afternoon, saying Ireland's policy on the transition to green energy lacks clarity, with stakeholders not on the same page from a strategic standpoint. We may have 'a unique energy advantage in Europe', yet questions about how the transition will be made remain unanswered and, perhaps most damning, 'much of Ireland's policy action for transition in the power sector is headed into fog'. READ MORE Second came the verdict this week of the Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE), an all-island think tank, declaring energy policy needs to 'go beyond wishful thinking and to be replaced by the realities of engineering, finance and project delivery'. Its cold assessment of available technologies suggests it is impossible to achieve the legal requirement and policy objective of climate neutrality by mid-century. And there is an absence of a plan, as it sees it, to deliver 352 essential, large energy infrastructure projects. Key questions about renewable energy capacity requirements, the rationale for surplus power generation, its optimal use, price competitiveness and the method of energy export remain unanswered — National Economic and Social Council These range across onshore and fixed-bottom wind offshore, solar, interconnectors, transmission lines, battery storage and backup generation. It includes 'many hundreds of kilometres of overhead transmission lines'. The absence of hydrogen and floating offshore technology is notable – though it does not dismiss them as non-runners. Those most responsible for the transition and associated infrastructure development are the Government (including key departments delivering policy and dictating market conditions), ESB , EirGrid and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities . As there is a national mandate to accelerate the scale-up of renewables, other State agencies are in the mix, ranging across planning (especially marine), enterprise and local development. While the finger of blame was not directed at any single actor, collective responsibility could not be clearer, as 'visibility and certainty are low' across the board – as Nesc put it. Easter break aside, none has disputed the withering assessments. Nesc detailed failings and gaps that risk a lack of action on transition to clean energy that will add costs for Ireland – that also runs contrary to the narrative foreseeing lots of cheap renewables. 'There is a lack of evidence-based certainty about future energy prices in Ireland and, if anything, consumers might expect higher rather than lower energy costs as the transition progresses. This is despite the cost of renewable power production being competitive with that of fossil fuels over the long term.' Compounding matters are issues about future reliability of the country's energy supply. This may undermine national competitiveness and the transition narrative 'with an absence of actions to reinforce both the energy transition and economic resilience'. Nesc identifies four primary risks. On electricity supply, it warns reliability may worsen over periods of the transition if not addressed. There is 'no clear visibility of the power system's reliability beyond 2032'. Clarity is needed on total system cost of transition in the power sector and the distribution of those costs, while 'key questions about renewable energy capacity requirements, the rationale for surplus power generation, its optimal use, price competitiveness and the method of energy export remain unanswered'. On enterprise opportunities, it says 'there is no single, comprehensive estimate available to policymakers of the sales, exports and jobs, etc that can be expected from delivering transition targets'. The IAE pulls no punches on energy reliability and security. It questions the feasibility of decarbonising the electricity sector and wider energy sector by 2050, given 'an unavoidable dependence on natural gas' that will still apply then and maybe beyond. Much of its concerns relate to ensuring power supply when demand will increase from 34 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024 to 80TWh by 2050. It also highlights vulnerability to possible disruptions to the supply side of natural gas due to heavy reliance on it as the energy source of last resort for electricity generation. The Government's move to create an offshore LNG reserve to address security of supply risk is inadequate both in terms of storage capacity and infrastructure. 'A small, leased floating storage regasification unit operated to not impact on the operation of the market is unlikely to be sufficient,' says IAE energy and climate action committee chairman Eamonn O'Reilly, the former head of Dublin Port. Ireland is an island with no indigenous energy sources that can provide the energy security the country needs, he adds. 'Renewables can supply a lot of energy but need backup to ensure reliability of supply. Because renewables cannot get over the first hurdle of reliability, they cannot provide energy security. In 2024, Ireland's near 5,000 megawatts (MW) of wind provided less than 500MW of power for 2,127 hours' – equivalent to 88 days over a year. 'No amount of oversupply of renewables can guarantee power when the wind and sun are not sufficiently available, not even Government's enormous 2050 target of 54,000MW. There will always be a requirement for alternative backup power sources to ensure reliability.' Similar concerns apply to interconnectors, the IAE says. In 2024, 15 per cent of the country's electricity requirement was met by imports. 'The need for energy security suggests Ireland should have a low, or very low, ultimate dependence on interconnectors because we have no control on the supply that might be available when we need it most.' O'Reilly accepts there are many complexities in the transition feeding into their position, which is not advocating rowback – 'it is not climate denial; we are not saying don't do renewables'. [ Why international firm Corio withdrew from plans for Sceirde Rocks wind farm off Connemara's coast Opens in new window ] The IAE backs 'an inevitable compromise on net zero by 2050 ... but you can never predict the future. You can only plan on the basis of the technology you have today. So you can't get to net zero by 2050. No way.' Despite this, it still backs moves to maximise renewables while 'other technologies that could become available over the next 25 years include floating offshore wind, hydrogen and small modular nuclear reactors'. Those advocating hydrogen and floating, including the ESB, should get their act together and even proceed to planning 'and see where it goes', he says. 'But you can't rely on hydrogen and floating to get us to net zero by 2050. If we over-rely on that you might find you can't power the country.' Government has set a target to achieve a climate-neutral electricity system by 2050 – and accepted the imposition of enormous financial penalties by the EU if this objective is not achieved – 'without first understanding and demonstrating how it is feasible', he says. Echoing Nesc concerns, O'Reilly notes 'this has been done without estimating how much the endeavour will cost and what impact it will have on the already high price consumers pay for electricity in Ireland'. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Nesc findings would inform the future approach to the energy transition. Previously, the Coalition decided to establish a new infrastructure unit within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in tandem with reforms to tackle regulatory barriers impeding growth and development. There are many in the renewables sector who believe his response is acknowledgment that the Government needs to be more rigorous and strategically coherent. [ Irish electricity prices, already Europe's highest, may rise further due to 'required investment' Opens in new window ] 'The scale of resources needed to deliver a secure and stable green energy system means that we must accelerate investment, both public and private,' Martin said. He announced a new 'climate investment clearing house' to accelerate progress and to work with all stakeholders 'to ensure we have the conditions in place to achieve this energy transformation in an effective, timely and sustainable manner, while ensuring the ongoing competitiveness of the Irish economy'. He is to host a joint Government-industry forum on offshore renewables in coming weeks, 'to scope out the role of the clearing house and how we can best progress delivery of Ireland's offshore renewable energy objectives'. The cross-department Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce in place since 2022 includes key State agencies, but industry sources say they could be more involved, particularly in bringing solutions to the table. Nobody questions the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications ' determination to deliver, along with that of the ESB and EirGrid, but they contend a robust mechanism to ensure accountability in other agencies is largely absent. [ Take fewer flights or switch to an EV – what's the best way to reduce my carbon emissions? Opens in new window ] Ireland aims to transform its power system over the next 25 years by reducing fossil fuel use and ramping up renewables, accepting this is key to addressing climate change . They may be brutally frank in tone, but neither report is saying 'we shouldn't be doing this'. Nesc recommends a phased approach to drive progress. Immediate actions include 'improving conditions for clean energy infrastructure (planning, skills, financing, grid and supply chains) and establishing new institutional arrangements for better co-ordination'. [ Ardnacrusha at 100: What could happen if Ireland showed similar ambition today and invested 20% of national budget in energy? Opens in new window ] Next should be moves 'to address key knowledge gaps, to demonstrate sustainable renewable power demand, and to ensure economic benefits are realised domestically'. In the longer term is a need 'to produce competitively priced energy for export, to develop export methods and to manage associated challenges, if proven practical and viable'. Ireland's decarbonisation potential includes ability to meet all, or almost all, of our power demand from renewable energy sources – to reach 'domestic net-zero emissions', Nesc concludes. There is also the prospect of producing surplus clean energy, it says, to power enterprise and spur new opportunities – and to export surplus clean energy – if proven practical and viable. Nesc analyst Dr Cathal FitzGerald, however, said its research reveals uncertainty about the impact on our economic resilience in terms of energy reliability, price, jobs and exports. 'These in turn highlight broader issues to be resolved and a strong imperative for action.' The energy transition must be progressed despite all the complexities involved, he underlined, while being mindful 'the cost of inaction would be enormous and devastating'.
RTÉ News
23-04-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Engineers question Government target to decarbonise electricity sector by 2050
An all-island body representing engineers has questioned the feasibility of the Government's target of decarbonising the electricity sector by 2050. The Irish Academy of Engineering has highlighted what it called "the absence of a plan to deliver the 350 large energy infrastructure projects needed in the electricity sector". The organisation has called for the development of sufficient liquified natural gas capacity to address the security of supply risk "identified continually" in the State's National Risk Assessment since 2014. It said if targets of electrifying heating and transport by 2050 are to be met, the power requirement in Ireland will increase from 34 terawatt hours in 2024 to about 80 terawatt hours. The organisation said this would require the completion of a programme of over 350 large energy infrastructure projects. The organisation said: "Government has set a target to achieve a zero-emissions electricity system by 2050 - and accepted the imposition of enormous interim financial penalties by the EU if this objective is not achieved - without first understanding and demonstrating how it is feasible." It said this had been done without estimating how much this would cost and what impact it would have "on the already high prices consumers pay for their electricity".
