Government says it will treble 'clean' energy

The Irish Wind Energy Association has been promised the largest renewable electricity generation programme in Ireland, it was announced today.

Under the programme electricity generated from renewable resources will treble. The energy will be sourced from four projects: large-scale wind generators, small-scale wind generators, biomass and small-scale hydro projects.

Speaking at the group's annual conference in Ennis in Co Clare Minister ofState at the Department of Public Enterprise Mr Joe Jacob said:"This will go a long way towards meeting our obligations under the Kyoto Protocol by reducing carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation."

The move will reduce the emission of polluting greenhouse gases by one million tonnes per year. It will also reduce Ireland’s dependencyon imported fossil fuels by more than 300,000 tonnes, he said.

The programme will provide power for 180,000 homes and is expected to create an investment opportunity of more than £200 million.

The wind association called on the Government to impose an extra tax on the use of fossil fuels. The IWEA said such revenue could be used to subsidise investment in renewable energy sources.

The Government's Green Paper on sustainable energy set atarget of generating an extra 500 megawatts of wind-power by 2005.

The State's 18 wind farms currently produce 120megawatts.