‘0.26% of all agricultural land’ needed for solar – minister
Further solar capacity is “required for Ireland to meet its domestic and international targets”, according to Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien.
He added: “The programme for government reaffirms Ireland's commitment to and our ambitious target of 8 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity connected to the grid by 2030, to assist with meeting the goal of 80% electricity demand supplied through renewables.
“Solar energy is now a growing source of electricity, with about 2.4GW of solar power capacity in our grid and another 1GW on rooftops.
“The installed capacity we have amounts to powering approximately 520,000 homes. As part of this capacity, as I said, there is already 1GW of rooftop solar.
“However, the ESB has indicated that Ireland could expect the 8GW of solar in Ireland by 2030 to require an area equal to about 0.26% of all agricultural land, based on a similar study in the UK.”
The minister was answering a parliamentary question from Fine Gael TD Noel McCarthy on whether the government is considering introducing "a land classification system that would inform the suitability of any proposed solar developments".
In his reply, Minister O’Brien added: “The statutory designation of lands for renewable energy development is undertaken by local authorities as part of the city and county development plan process, which may incorporate a local authority renewable energy strategy or a wind energy strategy.
“The SEAI [Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland] is undertaking an update to the 2013 local authority renewable energy strategy methodology.”
Land use
Deputy McCarthy also asked the minister about proposals to use “prime agricultural land for renewable energy”, which the Cork East TD said have become “more common in recent years”.
Minister O’Brien replied: “Solar is a relatively new but growing source of energy in Ireland. It is clean, green, sustainable and cheap energy.
“We have fine agricultural land across the country too, and we need to make sure that we can continue to sustain our own population and sustain the agricultural and horticultural sector through our exports as well.
“We export over 80% of what we produce, as the deputy knows.”
"However, the advancement of renewables is critical to our energy security and to reaching our climate targets”.
The minister added: “It is important we are honest with people too, as the deputy is being, that solar will continue to expand and is a very good source of clean energy for our country.
“It will reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuel as well and will ensure that we become energy-sovereign.”
