Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce: Implementation Plan

The fast-tracked and increased deployment of onshore renewable electricity generation is key to not only radically reduce emissions in the electricity sector, but also to cut electricity prices for homes and businesses and protect Ireland’s energy security.

The Government has set an ambitious target of an 80% share of electricity generation supplied by renewable sources by 2030, including a commitment to achieve 9 GW of onshore wind and 8 GW of solar electricity generation capacity. An enormous amount of work has already been done to strengthen our planning system, electricity grid, and energy markets to prepare for the rapid expansion of renewable electricity. The work that will continue over the next three to four years will be vital in ensuring Ireland meets our 2030 targets.

An Accelerating Renewable Electricity (ARE) Taskforce was established to identify, coordinate, and prioritise the required policies to deliver onshore renewable electricity. The Taskforce has prepared a programme of work, known as the ‘Implementation Plan’, which sets out nearly 70 actions, many underway already.

The key measures identified to meet Ireland’s renewable electricity and carbon emission abatement targets include:

• A programme to accelerate and monitor the delivery of the electricity grid to support the renewable electricity targets.
• Ensuring that planning and permitting systems support the acceleration of renewable energy generation through statutory planning policy and relevant EU legislation.
• Supporting investment in onshore renewables through competitive auctions and other routes to market removing barriers for the installation of renewables
• Delivering an electricity storage policy framework and a streamlined electricity generation grid connection policy.
• Developing a sustainable community energy sector and providing businesses and farms with opportunities to generate their own clean energy.

The Implementation Plan sets outs a comprehensive programme of work across grid delivery and connections, storage, and flexible technologies. It also outlines the Government’s plan for a supportive planning policy to align local targets with national climate and renewables targets, and for the provision of strong market and investment signals for both large scale and local and community renewable energy. The Plan addresses barriers to early delivery, of onshore renewable electricity in particular in the area of planning and permitting,

The ARE Taskforce is chaired by The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and membership is comprised of senior representatives from key Government Departments and State bodies. Through collaboration across Government and agencies we will lay the groundwork for investment in the sector and deliver Ireland’s renewable electricity future.