Irish Green Party leader wants super grid

- Ireland's Green Party leader, John Gormley, called for a continental renewable-energy "super grid" during his annual speech to his party.

Connecting renewable-energy grids across western Europe and northern Africa could create jobs and provide an economic stimulus as well as provide clean power, The Irish Times reports.

A larger grid could transport wind power from Denmark, tidal power from Antrim, Northern Ireland, solar power from Spain and wave power from Mayo, Ireland, to other areas where there are not as many renewable resources.

Gormley cited the underwater cable between Norway and the Netherlands as an example.

"There is a 600-kilometre underwater cable running between Norway and the Netherlands," he said. "It cost 600 million euros (US$779 million) to build, but it is already generating cross-border trade valued at 800,000 euros (US$1.03 million) per day."