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So-called 'green' energy providers are not all they
seem, a watchdog has warned.
As much as one-third of electricity sold by eco-friendly
companies, such as Airtricity, is produced by burning gas,
coal, peat and oil - the fossil fuels that are the main cause
of global warming.
The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) said that just
65.6pc of all power sold by Airtricity comes from renewable
sources, with the rest produced from fossil fuels - including
gas (24.8pc), coal (5.7pc), peat (2.7pc) and oil (1pc).
The figure is even lower for Quinn Wind Farm Ltd, which produces
just 28pc from wind with the bulk of power provided to customers
(51.5pc) produced by burning gas.
The reason is because the wind doesn't blow all the time
and the companies have contracts to supply power. This means
they must source alternative supplies, often from traditional
generators, to fulfil their contracts.
Airtricity - the biggest producer of renewable energy in
the market - says on its website that '100pc of the energy
we generate in Ireland is from renewable sources'. However,
it doesn't say that one-third of the power it supplies comes
from burning fossil fuels.
A spokesman said the company had grown its customer base
and had dozens of projects coming on-stream that would help
reduce its reliance on other generators.
"The reason why the figure has gone down is because we've
grown our customer base," he said. "We are committed to continuing
to invest in all renewable energy forms."
The CER
figures show that 14.2pc of all power produced last
year came from renewable sources. This has risen to 15pc this
year, meaning Ireland has reached its government target to
produce power from renewable sources.
By 2020, 40pc of all power will come from wind, ocean and
wave energy.
"Already, at times, the Irish system has been operated with
levels of up to 50pc generation from renewables," the national
grid operator, Eirgrid, said.
The progress that was being made meant that Ireland "will,
this year, have enough wind generation installed to meet the
2010 target and we are on target to meet the target of 40pc
renewable power by 2020," it added.
Source - The Irish Independent
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