To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the renewable energy technology options he is exploring to assess their potential to contribute to Northern Ireland’s electricity production.

The Energy Strategy established a target of at least 70% of all electricity consumed in Northern Ireland to come from a diverse range renewable sources by 2030. This target was increased to 80% renewable electricity consumption by the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. My Department is considering diversifying the renewable electricity technology mix in the round to provide clean, secure and affordable energy for Northern Ireland. This will mean expanding our renewables portfolio into offshore wind and other technologies in a manner that avoids negative impacts on security of supply and consumer costs.

The Energy Strategy Action Plan 2022 states that the Department will bring forward an action plan to deliver 1GW of offshore wind from 2030.

There is a statutory process necessary to enable offshore renewable energy deployment in NI waters involving multiple stakeholders and legislative, regulatory, technical and economic issues that must first be resolved.

My Department has set up an Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan Steering Group, bringing together all relevant key stakeholders, to address these issues and see offshore wind energy deployed in NI waters as soon as practicably possible.

Departmental officials are also working alongside BEIS and the other devolved administrations on the development of the UK-wide £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund and the Hydrogen Business Models, which BEIS hope to launch this year. It is hoped these funding mechanisms will provide financial stimulus to support the deployment of low carbon hydrogen production across the UK.

My Department also publishes a regular ‘Funding Innovation for Net Zero’ E-Zine, which highlights funding opportunities in clean energy and a low carbon economy relating to the £1billion UK Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, to support the ongoing development of renewable energy and stimulate innovation towards my Department’s vision of a “10X Economy” for Northern Ireland. More information on this E-Zine can be found here.