The Government has been criticised by the wind energy sector for failing to make any real commitment to renewable energy.
Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) chairman Tim Cowhig said a "lack of policy and lack of direction" was making it extremely difficult for existing wind energy operators to sustain investment, and impossible for potential new entrants.
The European Commission has decided to take legal action against the Government for favouring conventional energy firms over the wind energy sector when it comes to equal access to the national grid. Ireland is committed to meeting an EU renewable energy target of 13.2 per cent or 1,300 megawatts by 2010. Currently, there are some 500 megawatts of wind energy on the national grid.
Commenting at the IWEA's annual conference in Galway yesterday, Mr Cowhig said that a moratorium on offers to connect wind energy to the national grid since December 2003 was symptomatic of an "ad hoc" and "stop, start" approach by the Government.
"Some 96 per cent of our energy is imported. We are following the British model and opting for gas, and yet this exposes us to the sort of situation which occurred with Russia last year," Mr Cowhig said. "The Government has to decide - are we opting for renewable energy or are we going nuclear? "
Mr Cowhig said that one of Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey's first announcements on taking over his brief was to unveil a replacement for the AER pricing system for wind energy operators who supply to the national grid. However, details of the new system, known as Refit, had still not been finalised some two years later, he said.
"I wouldn't advise anyone to come into this business right now," Mr Cowhig said.