Renewable Energy Generation
Seanad Éireann — 2022-11-10
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Ossian Smyth (GP), Dún Laoghaire

There are three key responses to the mitigation of climate change. There is the switch to renewable energies, such as wind power and solar power, to replace fossil fuels. We then have energy efficiency, for example, retrofitting homes and, finally, measures that remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Those things all have different prices per tonne that we line up, but we do not just go with the one measure that has the best answer. We have to have an array of things. It is like a balanced diet. We need an approach with all those different measures taking place. On price, even if it is very expensive per tonne to use one of these technologies, we expect that will change over time. There will a requirement for the removal of CO2. We believe renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, such as insulation, will not be enough on their own. There are currently many technologies, which are not deployed or are cost prohibitive, that are very likely to be there. I visited a geothermal energy research centre in Technological University Dublin yesterday. That technology will also be a big part of the future for Ireland. We will not write off any of these technologies because they are too expensive right now. We will keep them under review. I expect there will be room for CCS and DAC in the future.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2022-11-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:51:16+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-11-10