'Ireland's Transition to Renewable Energy'

The world's fossil energy reserves are being rapidly depleted and their use on the present scale threatens a potentially-catastrophic climate change. Ireland, in common with the rest of the world, is therefore going to have to switch to an economy built almost entirely on renewable energy sources. To explore the issues surrounding this transition a major conference on this issue was held 30th of October to 2nd of November, 2002 at the Tipperary Institute, Thurles, Co Tipperary.

The conference, entitled Ireland's Transition to Renewable Energy was jointly organised by the Tipperary Institute, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability, with the support of the Green Group in the European Parliament, ESB Independent Energy, Airtricity, GE Wind and Comhar, and the National Sustainable Development Partnership.

The purpose of the conference was to consider how quickly this switch ought to be made and the size and phasing of the energy investment that will be required to make it. Also discussed was the extent and nature of the island's renewable energy resource and how its use will affect the economy and people's daily lives. Questions included: Will there be enough energy for economic growth to continue at anything like its recent pace? How much will the relative cost of moving people and goods rise? What effects will this have? And how will farming fare, growing new crops but using less fuel and fertiliser?

Extensive records were made of the conference proceedings and these have been published in book form, together with additional material from conference participants. The book, called Before the Wells Run Dry: Ireland's Transition to Renewable Energy, can be read online in its entirety. Full details of the conference, including the programme and details of the speakers, are available on the conference website