Eamon Ryan, minister for communications, energy and natural resources unveiled the Irish Wind Energy Association’s (IWEA) guidelines to achieve the proper development of the wind energy industry in Ireland.

The guidelines are a positive response from inside the industry to the challenges in faces in securing a green energy future for the country.

Launching the guidelines, Mr Ryan spoke of the government’s policy that has set “ambitious, but technically sound” targets that one-third of the country’s electricity requirements will be met by renewables by 2020.

Michael Walsh, chief executive of the IWEA, said that over 1,000 megawatts of wind power is already connected in Ireland.

He added: “The wind industry is planning the private investment of between Euro four billion and Euro six billion in wind power over the next ten years. This will require a total annual investment of over Euro 500 million, creating an additional 3000 jobs.”

The IWEA aims to influence government policy on renewable energy and reform the planning processes for wind farms.

It says that wind has been the world’s fastest growing renewable energy source for the last seven years.

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