A new report issued by Ernst and Young has Ireland placed 10th out of 25 in global renewable energy attractiveness indices. This marks an improvement of two places from the last report and only China had a similar improvement, both countries showing the biggest move upwards in the report.

The report provides scores for national renewable energy markets, renewable energy infrastructures and their suitability for individual technologies. Ireland now ranks 8th in the long-term Wind Index up three places from 11th and ranks 10th in the near-term wind index.

The report highlights the fact that Ireland was the largest mover over the quarter, due in part to a number of initiatives undertaking by Minister Eamon Ryan, the Minister for Communications and Natural Resources including:

• 15-year feed in tariff of €140/MWh in offshore wind
• €220/MWh tariff in Marine Energy Devices(one of the first of its kind)
• €120/MWh biomass and anaerobic digestion feed-in + €11mil grant pool

Mention was also giving to the SeaGen 1.2MW tidal energy project in Strangford Lough.

The Ernst and Young report viewable here is widely recognised as the premier paper of its kind and gives a welcome boost to all involved in renewable energy industry in Ireland.