This document summarizes the key points from an energy presentation given at a rural conference. It discusses the future energy landscape in Ireland by 2031 and opportunities for rural communities. Specifically, it proposes establishing a national authority to facilitate capturing Ireland's competitive energy advantages through developing various renewable sources like wind, hydro, biomass and more. This authority would ensure obstacles are removed and returns on investment are over 10% to attract funding. This could make Ireland an energy exporter and create many jobs while boosting rural communities through developing local resources and industries.

1. Ballyhoura Conference
The Future of Rural Areas to 2031
Energy Presentation Response
Responder: Liam Woulfe
12th
November 2010

2. The Challenge put to us at today’s
Conference
From Energy prospective 2031:
What will the Market Landscape be like?
What will it mean for:
Rural Communities
Farmers
Businesses
Investors
Particularly in the Ballyhoura area

3. Cathal’s Presentation
• Cathal’s Presentation was very thought
provoking and could have good potential in
my view if our national enablers were aligned.
• As I see it without a clearly joined up roadmap
the opportunities will be lost.
• So in my view we need to set out a clear
framework to facilitate the ideas of Cathal and
other.

4. Landscape 2031
Energy Challenge Ireland
We have to deal with / take opportunity from:
• Kyoto/EU Commitments
• Fossil Fuels availability/price
• Peat availability in Ireland
• Cost of Carbon
• Little or no state Financial Resources to intervene over the next 10 years
• The Imperative is to capture Ireland’s Competitive Advantage in Energy

5. The Possible Solutions
• Continuous back up Fossil Fuel - Oil, Coal & Gas
• Wind – onshore, offshore
• Hydro
• Renewable Biomass
• Anaerobic Digestive (A D)
• Tidal
• Solar

6. Create Competitive
Advantage
• Irish Unique National Resources
• Skills/Resources
• Obstacles to progress
• Return on Investments

7. How to Capture Ireland’s Energy
Competitive Advantage
• Create a picture of the full potential of each source of energy
• The creation of these pictures should be unhindered by National or Local
political wishes or local sentiment.

8. How – To maximise Irish energy
Competitive Advantage
• Measure the cost/benefit of capturing each opportunity by section
• List the obstacles to capture each possibility
• Put in place the Enablers

9. Enablers
• Get agreement on the competitive advantages
• Adopt National Energy Strategy From:
- Government to buy in and all National Strategic partners
• Set up an “NRA” type structure

10. How might this work?
• It must be charged with the facilitation and development of each of the
target initiatives by sector
• It should be the Superior Authority and thus be empowered to ensure
that all obstacles e.g. planning, pricing, grid access and all vested interests
are dealt with in an efficient and expedient way to ensure our market
expansion highway is effective and not allow progress to be held up by
very small minorities.

11. Effect
• With an assured delivery “Highway” and an assurance of a return on
investment of 10% + - Investment will follow
• Ireland to become a major exporter of energy
• Creation of a major “bank” of skills and service personnel
• The creation of many jobs to services this sector.

12. What will it do for Ballyhoura area?
• Tap Ballyhoura’s National Resources
• Create potential energy feedstock for the major local industries as well as
supporting the competence of the local primary Agricultural capability.
• Once again pride will be restored to all communities by everybody playing
a role in creating something out of the Natural Resources around them.
• There will be a real investment / job opportunities to support the process
and this ongoing servicing of same.