Minister says Ireland keen to surpass its EU targets for renewables

The Irish government intends to surpass its EU targets for renewable energy, says marine and natural resources minister Dermot Ahern. Under its EU commitments, Ireland will have to source 13.2% of its electricity consumption from renewables by 2010. "That's our bottom line; that's the minimum. Like many of you, I think we should go further," Ahern told the Irish Wind Energy Association. He plans to launch the latest round of Ireland's Alternative Energy Requirement -- AER6 -- before the end of the year. After that he promises to consult the renewable energy sector on setting additional targets for green technologies over the next decade. "Ultimately we have to decide on appropriate support structures to ensure that our targets are delivered," he says. "I am determined to drive not just targets and funding, but other essential areas like planning, grid access, connections, loss adjustments and more besides." Before the end of October, he expected to publish a report setting out indicative targets and measures for delivering them.