Planning permission and licensing are holding Ireland back from reaching its renewable energy production potential by “tying it up in chains”, MEP Sean Kelly has stated.
The Ireland south MEP said that Ireland needs to drastically increase its production rate but this ‘red tape’ is holding the country back.
He was speaking after attending the launch of Renewable Energy Ireland’s new strategy this week, which details how Ireland can become energy independent and power its economy and society with carbon-free energy.
Kelly said “it is clear that to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, and particularly on gas, further action is needed to reduce the energy consumption of buildings”. He added:
“A massive increase in renewable energy usage in terms of power generation, industry, better buildings and greener transport will accelerate our phasing out of Russian fossil fuels.
“It will also, over time, lower electricity prices and reduce fossil fuel imports.”
Kelly outlined that within Ireland, wind energy is the most available and reliable resource which will ultimately be combined with green hydrogen to turn the country into a low-carbon economy. However he noted that there are a number of challenges to making timely progress:
“When it comes down to it, planning authorities need the personnel and technical capacity to get through the necessary administration as quick as possible so projects can get to their operational phase.
“I have made and supported proposals that would allow the granting of a priority status in national law for public-interest renewable energy projects as well as a corresponding streamlining of planning and permitting procedures. For a country like Ireland, this could be vital.”
Kelly stated that he believes the national grid will need “major upgrades” to deal with this, combined with increased electrification of heating and a significant increase in renewable energy.
“The simple fact is that we will never meet targets if politicians and objectors oppose all the new electrical lines and cables we badly need.
“That may be difficult for some to hear, but that does not make it less true. In some cases, red tape has Ireland’s renewable energy potential in chains,” The MEP concluded.