Ireland South MEP and Member of the European Parliament’s Environment and Climate Action Committee (ENVI), Billy Kelleher has said that the Irish Government should give serious consideration to the possibility of buying or renting a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) to allow the country import LNG and to pump it into the gas network.
Commenting, the Fianna Fáil MEP said, “Many of our fellow EU Member States are already well along the way to doing this as a means of diversifying their electricity and energy supplies.
“This facility, installed in one of our harbours or ports, and in close proximity to an access point to our gas network, would enable two things.
1. Allow us wean ourselves off our long term dependence on gas from the UK;
2. Provide potentially cheaper gas for our citizens
“Longer term, we will need a permanent LNG terminal in Ireland with connections into the grid but such a facility would take up to five years to build. However, my proposal could provide Ireland with a short-term solution.
“In addition, many countries are also installing ‘powerships or power barges’, in effect floating power stations, to allow them to burn natural gas onsite and provide additional electricity supply. It has been estimated that each unit could supply up to 500MW.
“Natural gas will always play a role in powering some proportion of Ireland’s energy needs. It might only be 5-10% but it could be the difference between the lights staying on if the wind doesn’t blow for a few days.
“The Government needs to start thinking big. The energy crisis will be with us for years to come. It won’t end with the conclusion of the Russian invasion. The countries that secure their own energy independence will be the prosperous countries of the future,” concluded Kelleher.
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