AQW 16657/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 22/03/2021
Answered On Date: 01/04/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail (i) the percentage of the overall green energy target for Northern Ireland to which windfarms contribute; and (ii) how this figure is anticipated to change in future under current plans.

Answer:

The Executive’s renewable electricity target to achieve 40 per cent of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020 was exceeded 2 years early. Indeed, the most recent statistics published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) confirm that, for the year ending 31 December 2020, 49.2 per cent of total electricity consumption was generated from renewable sources.

Although the 40 percent target was not technology specific, the NISRA publication also confirms that, for the 12 month period ending 31 December 2020, 84.9 per cent of all renewable electricity was generated from onshore wind – link below.

https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/articles/electricity-consumption-and-renewable-generation-statistics

I announced in September last year that any new renewable electricity consumption target should not be below 70% by 2030. Whilst it is not possible to accurately predict the level of generation from any technology in the future, it is anticipated that onshore wind will continue to make a major contribution.