Exclusive: Ursula von der Leyen on how Ireland can be a 'renewable superpower'

It took months of political jousting to reach that agreement, and the EU's most powerful figure has insisted that while such emissions targets are necessary, Irish farmers can lead the way on newer environmentally-friendlier practices.

"With clarification on the reduction target, all efforts will now go towards meeting this target. I am fully aware of the many challenges facing farmers and the commission stands with Irish farmers and will work to support them in meeting the target set. 

"All sectors of our economy will have to change, including farming, and while change is difficult, we know that it is essential to address climate change. 

I know that farming families want to play their part as they are the first to feel the effects of droughts, wild fires and floods, which are increasing in both frequency and severity. 

"The European Green Deal is all about tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. And the newly reformed Common Agriculture Policy will help farmers to cut emissions and improve their environmental performance. 

"Many Irish farmers are already engaging in precision farming and low-emission slurry spreading. By scaling up these practices we will see emission reductions. Feed additives and other innovations will also help. 

"In addition, eco-schemes can support carbon-farming practices like agro-forestry, creating a new source of income in addition to benefitting the climate. Ireland and its farmers can benefit from this — and even lead the way. The Commission stands with the Irish farmers," she said.

One of Ireland’s foremost energy experts, Dr Paul Deane of Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, or MaREI, recently warned that Ireland is now in the "most perilous position since the 1970s", because of its dependence on fossil fuel, political jousting between the EU and Britain, and our location on the periphery of Western Europe.

The commission president claimed, however, that Ireland would not be left in the lurch, after the eventual agreement of an EU Winter Plan that proposes a voluntary gas demand reduction target of 15% from this month to the end of March for various states, as Russian supplies are further cut. Ireland, because of its location, was able to gain exemptions. 

"In the space of one week, the EU has agreed to take an unprecedented and decisive step to face down the threat of a full gas disruption by Putin. The collective commitment to reduce gas consumption by 15% is significant. It will help fill our storage ahead of winter. 

"With this agreement, we will also be able to provide a safety net for each member state and thus put the principle of energy solidarity, enshrined in our EU treaties, fully in action. So we are now determined to address our energy security at European scale, as a union.

"The agreement I have just mentioned will ensure that each member state can receive solidarity and support in case of a severe disruption in supply. That’s the principle of the safety net. 

And again, if we put all our efforts into savings, diversifying, and rolling out renewables, we will reduce our exposure to Russian fossil fuels and become more energy independent. 

"Note also that the EU and the UK are cooperating effectively on security of supply, because we know we have to face this crisis together. 

"What will also boost energy security in Ireland is the new Celtic Interconnector. This is such a great project. Once operational in four years, this new electricity interconnector between Ireland and France will end the isolation of the Irish electricity system from Continental Europe. 

"It will be able to carry 700 megawatts of electric power in both directions from Cork to Brittany. This interconnector will provide Ireland with a secure market for the renewable electricity generated by the country’s renewable energy projects. So I’m very glad that the EU is covering half of the costs of this project," Ms von der Leyen said.

Renewable energy, specifically offshore wind, can make Ireland a world leader, according to the commission president.

Ireland has the potential to become the success story of the clean energy transition. For example, there are few places in the world that are better suited to offshore renewable. 

"Sitting on the edge of the Atlantic, Ireland can be a renewable superpower. The European Commission will help you get there. Ireland is set to receive €13bn under several EU programmes to invest in the greening and decarbonisation of the economy. 

"Among other things, the funding will enable the large-scale retrofitting of buildings. It will also support the Midlands region in its transition from peat and fund key decarbonisation projects, such as the electrification of the commuter railway network in Cork."

There has been criticism of the EU Winter Plan — for example, Greenpeace said it “falls short of delivering a fair energy demand reduction strategy, supporting people’s long-term clean energy needs". 

The plan focuses excessively on facilitating the switch to dirty fuel sources like oil and coal, as well as securing cash for the industry, overlooking the detrimental impacts of unsustainable energy sources on the climate, Greenpeace said.

The commission president pushed back against such criticism.

"If anything, this energy crisis is actually making us speed up the clean energy transition. First, because to move away from Russian gas, we are encouraging energy efficiency and energy savings which will ultimately reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. 

"And second, to enjoy home-grown, cost-effective energy supplies, we are currently investing in renewable energies like never before, with our €300bn REPowerEU plan. 

"And we made it very clear, in our preparedness plan, that any switch to coal, if necessary to go through the winter safely, should be a temporary solution. So, ultimately, there is actually a convergence between the necessary actions to increase our security of energy supply in the short term, and our policies to reach climate neutrality by 2050."