It is understood Eirgrid believes the goal can be achieved only by extensive use of wind technology, with biomass, hydroelectricity and wave energy projects playing a supporting though significant role.

Sources have also speculated that the move may also be a recognition of the fact that it appears increasingly likely the Green Party will be in the next government.

Eirgrid has already distanced itself from comments made in a statement two weeks ago regarding electricity storage technology, which alarmed some in the wind farm sector.

Such technology could be necessary in future to deal with any excess power created by high wind levels at times of low electricity demand.

According to the note, Eirgrid felt it was essential that storage technology be developed "to enable wind farms to store energy and use it when the wind is not blowing", implying that individual wind farms would have to build their own storage facilities.

However, last week an Eirgrid spokesman said the statement referred to the possibility that it could use storage technology on the national grid.

"We would emphasise that we have never said there would be any requirement on wind farms in relation to storage, " he said.

He said the technology in mind was along the lines of pumped-storage hydroelectricity, where excess electricity is used to pump water into a reservoir, which is subsequently released to generate power at times of high demand. Ireland has only one such plant, Turlough Hill in Co Wicklow.

He said Eirgrid also believed there needed to be development in three other areas if it was to meet the government target: more flexible fossil fuel-powered generation plants;

increased interconnection with other grids; and a mechanism where wind farms could reduce their output when necessary.

Eddie O'Connor, chief executive of Airtricity, Ireland's largest farm operator, said it was an interesting and positive development. He said his main concern with Eirgrid's new strategy was the idea that wind farms would reduce their output.

"I don't like that, as all it does is ignore a free source of fuel, " he said.

"However, if Turlough Hill was made available to wind, it would be a very rational use of a state resource."

Ian Hunter of Goodbody Stockbrokers, an analyst who monitors Airtricity, said there seemed to be a noticeable thawing of relations between Eirgrid and wind power operators.

"Eirgrid has now been fully split from the ESB and it probably feels more able to look at alternative operators beyond its original supplier, " he said.