Renewable Energy Industry Could Transform Ireland Economy

30 May 2012 14:00 - Victoria Wedderburn

Renewable Energy Industry Could Transform Ireland Economy

It was claimed today that as part of the Government’s strategy for Renewable Energy 2012-2020, Ireland could potentially export as much energy as it consumes. It was also suggested today that as many as 10,000 jobs could be created by 2013 in the wider green economy. However, some have stressed the importance of the Government sticking to its own strategy so as to avoid the loss of Irelands’ natural resources to big business or to Europe.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) said that the Government’s strategy is a step n the right direction. Head of the Ocean Energy Development Unit of the SEAI, Eoin Sweeny, said that Ireland needs careful management in order to retain the control. “The big question is how much of this business are we going to do?” he said. “Do we simply licence areas to large companies – and it will take large companies let’s be clear about that – and do we then just supply sandwiches out to the guys out in the rigs doing this? Or do we actually build, operate, maintain and support technologies and the services associated with that business? And that can transform the Irish economy.”