Irish Wind Energy Association says country at risk of not reaching EU targets

The Irish Wind Energy Association's (IWEA) autumn conference, held October 10 at Nenagh, County Tipperary, attracted some 180 people and 12 exhibitors. Wind energy policy -- both national and European -- was the main focus of the conference, with the introduction of IWEA's new policy document. The conference heard that installation of wind turbines in Ireland has fallen to almost zero and the country was now at serious risk of not reaching EU targets for renewable energy by 2010. While the government has been big on developing policy and targets for renewables, it was not big on delivering results, IWEA's Aidan Forde said. "Progress is all that counts in the real world and the minister and his staff have not delivered." But with some key changes to the way the government approaches the wind industry in Ireland, the IWEA believes the targets can not only be achieved but exceeded.