When we read about Vladimir Putin’s onslaught on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – designed, apparently, to freeze Ukrainians into submission in the context of Donald Trump-sponsored peace talks – we can only imagine what it is like to live in a world of blackouts during temperatures of -15 or -20 degrees. Interestingly (as Kathy Sheridan writes elsewhere today), both Sinn Féin and our home-grown band of Trump followers have been busy condemning Ireland’s promise of €25 million to assist the Ukrainians in their struggle for energy survival.

But a much wider debate is needed here in Ireland about energy policy. Last November, the Irish Academy of Engineering, a well respected and expert technical observation group, published an important document, Rebalancing Ireland’s Energy Policy.

The report should be essential reading for every Irish elected politician, Irish governmental department and agency and Irish news editor and environmental correspondent or commentator. The report demonstrates the extreme fragility of Ireland’s energy supplies and markets. It calls into question existing Government policy about the capacity of conventional renewable energy programmes to supply even the minimum of Ireland’s projected energy needs over the coming decades.

Far from engaging in ideological squabbles about Ireland’s need for new strategic LNG storage........

© The Irish Times