Mayo Fine Gael TD, Michelle Mulherin, says plans to develop wind farms in Mayo - creating jobs and generating hundreds of millions of euro for the local economy - are now in jeopardy following a decision by the Single Electricity Market (SEM) Committee to curtail the output from wind producers in areas with poor access to the national electricity grid.

For much of the 20th century some of the biggest industries in Ballina were powered by renewable energy that came from hydroelectric power generated by the River Moy. And now a member of Ballina Town Council says that at a time when Ireland is desperately seeking out new sources of renewable and green energy, it is time once again to look to the magestic river to supply some of Ballina's energy needs.

Renewable energy produced in North Mayo could help secure the Ireland's energy needs and also provide up to 10 per cent of Britain’s electricity requirement, say the developers of a wind and wave energy project at Glinsk mountain near Belderrig in North Mayo. The company behind the project, Organic Power Ltd of Skibbereen, Co Cork, says construction work on the scheme would create hundreds of jobs.

The Mayo Worldwide Convention will highlight the enormous potential Mayo has as a generator of wind and wave power. ‘Power by Land and Sea – a Future for our People’ is the theme of the convention in Westport, which Mayo county manager, Peter Hynes, described as “a great opportunity to send out a positive message about Mayo.”