Renewable energy could halve Clare jobless figures

Clare’s unemployment rate could be halved over a five-year period by fully exploiting the huge export potential of renewable energy electricity for the United Kingdom market, it emerged this week.

A Clare taskforce has been established to secure high-energy industrial users such as the pharmaceutical and information technology storage to locate in the county, using locally produced wind power-generated electricity.
The main focus of the taskforce is to establish primarily how wind energy projects in Clare can be progressed urgently to create jobs to tackle rising emigration and unemployment.
Last December, 10,368 people signed on the Live Register in Clare and this new group believes selling ‘electrons’ in the form of electricity exports from low-carbon generators including wind energy can be developed into a major new industry.
It is expected the Clare Low Carbon Working Group will have its first meeting in February, with local and national industry experts including Pat Stephens of the Clare Limerick Energy Agency.
While energy production from many renewable sources will, of course, be considered by the new committee, the initial focus will be on wind energy, as it is technology ready for market with international buyers such as the UK eager to purchase electrons from Ireland.
Under the auspices of Clare Chambers, the group aims to implement a number of objectives in the Clare County Development Plan 2011-2017 to ensure Clare becomes a national leader in renewable energy generation and a low-carbon county by achieving a minimum target of 550 megawatts of onshore wind generation by 2017.
Pat Stephens, manager of Clare Limerick Energy Agency, says the initiative has the potential of supporting the aims of the County Clare Integrated Strategy on Energy & Climate Change 2010-2012 (CDB).
Stating economic activity is underpinned by secure clean energy, Mr Stephens noted the technology to support this economy will also see the creation of skilled jobs in communities where it is needed most and energy that can be exported around the world. 
Based on his strong background and involvement in renewable energy and engineering, Councillor Johnny Flynn has taken on the responsibility of bringing together the taskforce.
“With 10,000 signing on and uncertainty regarding the effect of CAP and the upcoming removal of milk quotas, Clare as an agricultural county must look to protect farm incomes and seek off-farm work as was available during the construction boom, ” he said.
Councillor Flynn said the UK could become Ireland’s first and best customer for the purchase of electrons in the form of electricity from renewable resources.
He said, “Ireland supplies 25% of the UK’s beef needs why not 10% of their electricity needs by 2015? Taking an innovative view on things, we need to find new industries and ways to offer products with a secure long-term high-demand potential. Electrons in the form of electricity exports from low-carbon generators including wind energy could indeed be such an industry.
“Here, we have the opportunity to create an equally important export market as our beef industry, where Ireland occupies the top market share in Europe and is the fourth in terms of exports worldwide.”
“Looking at 10% of the UK markets (6,000 MW) if Clare was to provide a minimum of 15% of that (900MW) with matching storage, this would mean up to 5,000 Clare jobs over five years, or 50% of Clare’s unemployment,” he added.
Once barriers are identified ­restricting the development of a ­local low-carbon economy and Clare’s potential role as the national leader, solution-based ­recommendations will be presented to policy and ­decision makers locally, regionally, nationally and pan-European.
Last October, Dr Brian Motherway, chief operations officer of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), visited Clare and met with officials and industry representatives to discuss the potential of the county for the product of wind energy.
The SEAI in its Strategic Plan 2010-2015, aims to make Ireland a recognised global leader in sustainable energy. Its overall aim is to play a leading role in transforming Ireland into a society based on sustainable energy structures, technologies and practices.  SEAI provides advice to Government and delivers a range of programmes.
Dr Brian Motherway (SEAI) said, “Clare has huge potential for renewable energy in terms of wind. During my visits to the county and meeting with officials and relevant industry parties, I have experienced great commitment, understanding and readiness to invest time and money into sustainable renewable energy in the wind sector.”
He confirmed the SEAI wind atlas shows Clare with its predominantly west-facing costline as a particularly rich resource for wind. The national average capacity factor is 29% and the European average is 22%.
Wind turbines in Clare operate at 1.5 times above the European capacity average.
The British government believes windfarms in Ireland could help to put the UK back on track in its use of renewable energy. At a meeting in London last year, UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and other senior members of the British-Irish Council gathered to discuss a plan to expand electricity grid connections throughout Ireland and the British Isles.
Of critical importance here was the link connecting the grids of Ireland and Britain currently under construction, which will have a capacity of 500 megawatts.