Should the country reopen the door to coal-fired power?
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Should Ireland reconsider coal-fired power amidst energy supply fears?
Now the question we're asking is should the country reopen the door to coal-fired power as the conflict in the Middle East raises fears over energy supplies? A new report from the Irish Academy of Engineering argues that the state should be prepared to convert Moneypoint Power Station back. to burning coal as a last resort and allow it to remain open until 2036 to protect Ireland's energy security. So would it be a sensible contingency planning or a major setback for climate policy? I'm joined in the studio by Roderick O'Gorman, the leader of the Green Party, and Michael Collins is the leader of the Independent Ireland Party. And Michael is on the line. You're both welcome to the programme. Roderick, I'll go to you first.
What's your view on it? I mean, is this something we should consider in terms of contingency in the short to medium term?
What does the Irish Academy of Engineering propose for Moneypoint Power Station?
Thanks, Clare. And morning, Michael. Look, our whole goal as a country should be to obtain energy independence that will deliver cheaper bills for households across Ireland and will protect us from future price shocks of oil. And we do that by investing and doubling down on renewables and increasing our dependency on foreign fossil fuels, be it LNG from Qatar, be it oil from Saudi Arabia, be it Colombian coal. All of that undermines that goal of giving us energy independence.
Are we good enough, though, at investing in renewables and having them come on stream? Because there is a deep frustration with how much progress has been made on that front.
No, we're definitely not going fast enough. And I think the government has really taken the foot off the accelerator here in terms of rolling out those resources. And I point to the fact that we still don't have enough experts on board Planola to actually rapidly...
Is reopening coal power a sensible contingency or a setback for climate policy?
decide on the applications for planning for offshore wind. I point to the fact that our ports still aren't big enough, still aren't equipped to actually roll out the development of turbines offshore. Belfast is the only port on the island right now that has the capacity to do that. I point to the fact that the Celtic interconnector, which is really important for giving us energy security, giving us that contingency that we're talking about today, that would power 450,000 households That's now two years delayed. That came out in the Dáil there about two weeks ago.
So when will that be up and running?
So that's now going to be up and running in Q4 of 2028. Previously, that was to be up and running this year. So it's focusing on those projects, projects that give us that energy independence, give us that security, but also benefit householders.
What are the views of Roderick O'Gorman on energy independence?
In that context, you can see how something like this might be seen as an easy win?
Well, let's be clear. What's proposed here is having converted money point from coal to oil that costs a significant amount of money. The proposal being put forward here is to reconvert it back to coal. So, first of all, that's going to cost a lot. Secondly, that's not going to be done quickly. So, my belief is too many times in Ireland... We have plans. And then halfway through, we get cold feet. So you think of the metro.
How does Michael Collins view Ireland's energy strategy and renewables?
We've discussed the metro many times. We had a plan for the metro in the early 2020-2010s. We dropped that. Now we're coming back to it again. But it's just going to cost a lot more money. We have a plan for making ourselves energy independent. through renewables. Let's double down on that plan. Let's get it implemented because Irish people can get the benefit of cheaper electricity, but ultimately the protection from the price spikes that we've experienced now in the war in Iran and only four years ago with the war in Ukraine.
Michael, let's get your view on this.
What are the implications of relying on foreign fossil fuels for energy security?
When you're halfway down the road, why would you spend a load of money on doubling back on yourself just to go back to the start again? What is the point?
Good morning, Clare. Look, halfway down the road, we should never have gone that road, unfortunately, until we had renewables in place. Ireland is a laggard. We're well known throughout Europe as being a laggard in relation to renewables.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Should Ireland reconsider coal-fired power amidst energy supply fears?
0:01–0:56
2
What does the Irish Academy of Engineering propose for Moneypoint Power Station?
0:56–1:53
3
Is reopening coal power a sensible contingency or a setback for climate policy?
1:53–2:42
4
What are the views of Roderick O'Gorman on energy independence?
2:42–3:12
5
How does Michael Collins view Ireland's energy strategy and renewables?
3:12–3:45
6
What are the implications of relying on foreign fossil fuels for energy security?
3:45–4:32
7
What solutions are proposed for Ireland's energy independence?
4:32–5:04
8
How do the guests envision the future of energy in Ireland?
5:04–13:43