The country’s environment minister, Edwin Poots, put his full backing into wind when he spoke as keynote speaker at yesterday’s (2 September) Irish Wind Energy Association Workshop in Belfast.

Mr Poots said: “I am firmly committed to supporting the wind industry and all other renewable energy technologies so that together we can meet our commitments to tackle climate change.”

The minister also highlighted his department’s ‘pivotal role’ in creating the infrastructure for generating renewable energy for Northern Ireland to meet its target of 40% renewable power generation.

He said: “I am fully aware more needs to be achieved over the next 10 years if we are to meet our 40% target of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020.

“While other renewable energy technologies will play an increasingly important role, I believe it is the mature technology of wind energy that will provide the most significant contribution toward the achievement of this target.”

Luke Walsh

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