According to Teagasc Bioenergy and rural development specialist, Barry Caslin, it will set the direction for energy policy for the next 10 years or more. The Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR) Green Paper on renewable energy published in May 2014 was the precursor to this one.

Six key priorities were identified for discussion to help formulate the Irish Energy White Paper;

i) Key Irish energy policy achievement

ii) Key energy policy developments

iii) Collective delivery

iv) International developments

v) Developments in the EU

vi) Developments since 2007; economic context and energy prices

2007 White paper

The last White Paper on energy was published in 2007. Irish energy policy has continued to evolve since then through policy decisions, action plans, measures schemes and programmes such as the draft bioenergy plan. These will form the basis of the Decemeber 2015 White Paper.

Since then the establishment of a Single Electricity Market (SEM) has created a wholesale electircity market arrangment in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The project is currently undergoing a redesign which is scheduled for completion at the end of 2016 to ensure compliance with new European electricity codes.

Irish legislation has assigned new regulatory functions to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) that extend beyond a strict remit of energy market regulation, such as monitoring, and regulating, for security of supply, upstream gas and oil petroleum safety and water supply.

The 2007 White Paper identified reliable, secure and competitively priced electricity supply as vital to the competitiveness of Irish industry and to Ireland’s long-term economic and social development. In the coming years, the Irish grid will need to meet growing demand for electricity, and incorporate higher penetration of renewable energy sources. This combination of requirements presents new network management challenges.

During the debate on the 2007 White Paper a number of interlocutors called for greater public debate on the nuclear issue, particularly in the context of the need to create low carbon economies in response to climate change. The complete nuclear power plant process produces much less carbon dioxide than equivalent fossil-fuel plants however, it should be understood that nuclear is not a “zero carbon” technology.

Energy in transport

A low-carbon roadmap for the transport sector is now being developed, will take into account initiatives proposed by the European Commission in its 2011 White Paper on transport. DCENR will also need to undertake a thorough examination of the medium and long-term costs, benefits and implications of the use of alternative fossil fuels such as natural gas, including biomethane, in gaseous (Compressed Natural Gas – CNG) and liquid (Liquefied Natural Gas – LNG) form as well as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for fleet transport.

The priority for future national work will be to ensure continuity of appropriate work as support mechanisms change, and to leverage Horizon 2020 funding for priority areas.