Regulation: Shane Lynch – regulation or competition?
Friday, February 10th, 2012Utility Regulator Shane Lynch talks to Owen McQuade about the challenges in regulating the electricity and gas sectors and how the 20 per cent renewable electricity target can be met. New TextThe Utility Regulator’s office has “evolved” to now regulate three utilities: electricity, gas and water. “There are two ends of the spectrum in terms of how we regulate. One is promoting competition where appropriate and the other is monopoly regulation”, observes Shane Lynch. “There are degrees...
Offshore energy: Ireland’s offshore opportunity
Friday, February 10th, 2012Offshore power can boost economic recovery and Northern Ireland has the edge over the Republic, NOW Ireland’s Brian Britton tells agendaNi. Northern Ireland has a key part to play in exploiting Ireland’s offshore renewables opportunity, according to NOW Ireland Secretary Brian Britton. NOW Ireland (the National Offshore Wind Association of Ireland) was set up in 2007 to promote the industry. At present, the island has one offshore wind farm on Arklow Bank (25MW), a joint partnership between...
Offshore energy: North Sea supergrid
Friday, February 10th, 2012North Sea states are making progress in plans for a connected offshore grid, due to strong government support. Political will is crucial for developing offshore energy, European energy representatives have emphasised. As part of the Open Days conference, agendaNi attended a seminar on supergrids in the North Sea and English Channel, hosted by the Norwegian mission to the EU. While not a member state, Norway co-operates closely with the EU on energy and produces as much oil as the entire union. In...
Natural gas: Future gas scenarios
Friday, February 10th, 2012Gas will play a significant role going forward, according to energy consultant James Greenleaf. “Given the uncertainty around technological developments and alternative energy, keeping the high gas future option open is relatively cheap compared to everything else,” James Greenleaf tells agendaNi. Greenleaf is a senior energy consultant at Redpoint which conducted a study examining four scenarios ranging from gas being used at levels similar to today, to its elimination from the energy mix by...
EU policy: IBEC-CBI – European input
Friday, February 10th, 2012A summary of IBEC-CBI’s input into EU energy developments. The IBEC-CBI Joint Business Council (JBC) Energy Stakeholders Group is an all-island forum funded through the European Union INTERREG IVA Programme for debating and representing the views of IBEC and CBI members engaged in the provision and consumption of energy (primarily electricity and gas) on all issues relating to the fostering and development of a sustainable, competitive and cost-effective energy market for Ireland at all-island,...
Energy policy: Global trends
Friday, February 10th, 2012Oil and gas consumption is increasing due to new shale discoveries, but governments will have to make a trade-off between environmental protection and economic growth, Ross McCracken told the Northern Ireland Energy Forum. Meadhbh Monahan reports. We are “pretty much hooked” on oil and gas, particularly for transport, Editor of Platts’ Energy Economist Ross McCracken told agendaNi. Political unrest during the Arab Spring and the continued uncertainty in countries such as Syria “is bad news”...
