OPR Recommendation on Renewable Energy Targets:

In accordance with the provisions of section 12(18) and section 28(1)(c) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), and having regard to:

(i) the government’s commitment in the Climate Action Plan 2021, which sets a target of increasing the share of electricity demand generated from renewable sources up to 80% by 2030;

(ii) National Policy Objective 55 which promotes renewable energy use and generation to meet national targets;

(iii) the section 28 Wind Energy Development Guidelines (2006), and

(iv) the specific planning policy requirement set out in the Interim Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Statutory Plans, Renewable Energy and Climate Change (2017),

the planning authority is required to include specific targets based on relevant and meaningful metrics, for how County Roscommon will contribute to realising overall national targets on renewable energy and climate change mitigation, and in particular wind energy production and the potential wind energy resource (in megawatts).

Chief Executive Recommendation No 2:

That the Plan be made to include proposed MA174 and with a further additional amendment as per page 12 of the CE Report:

a)       Include the following additional text in the 2^nd introductory paragraph of Section 3 (Renewable Energy in County Roscommon) in the Renewable Energy Strategy:

At present there is 112 MW of renewable energy being generated in County Roscommon, with the potential for 262 MW to be produced. The figure for potential generation was taken from research undertaken by the Western Development Commission and included in their report “Making the Transition to a Low Carbon Society in the Western Region” (2020). The target of potential generation capacity includes connected, contracted and ECP processed developments and future developments should include renewable energy projects put forward by Sustainable Energy Communities. While it should be noted that capacity is not available at all times, the currently connected renewable generation is well above the average county demand.”

Include the following additional text and table in Volume I, Chapter 8 of the Draft Plan, in the Electricity Generation subsection of Section 8.5 (Integrating Climate Action into County Roscommon):

At present there 112 MW of renewable energy is being generated in County Roscommon, with the potential for 262 MW to be produced. The figure for potential generation was taken from research undertaken by the Western Development Commission and included in their report “Making the Transition to a Low Carbon Society in the Western Region” (2020). The target of potential generation capacity includes connected, contracted and ECP processed developments and future developments should include renewable energy projects put forward by Sustainable Energy Communities. While it should be noted that capacity is not available at all times, the currently connected renewable generation is well above the average county demand.

Table 8.1 Renewable Energy Potential in Co. Roscommon

In response to a query on the census figures included in the plan, will the Plan be updated to reflect the Census 2022 statistics, the Director stated that it will take some time for those figures to become available and the plan will include the figures included now.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Cummins

SECONDED by Cllr. Dineen

It was AGREED to accept Chief Executive Recommendation No 2