Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Manley may correct me on this if I am wrong. The position is that there are two processes through which solar energy can evolve. One is the renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, which is the successor to these refits. We are now working intensively to develop the capacity to have an auction for that, to be scheduled for about the end of this year. That will be a technology-neutral auction so whether it be solar, wind or whatever, people can come in and bid on a level playing pitch for access to the grid.

The second piece is the development of microgeneration, which has also been the subject of discussion in the House. We are obliged to create a microgeneration framework under EU legislation by the middle of 2021 at the latest. We are examining what it will take to create a microgeneration network. It throws up some tricky enough issues around pricing, standing charges and so on, which we have to work through. We are determined that microgeneration should be part of a mix. It is really important that we encourage people to look at their own energy use and seek to replace what they are doing with renewables. In some instances, they will have surplus to sell to the grid and that represents the scope for a price for that microgeneration. Those are the two channels through which this is working. They will be a significant part of our own plan but we also hope that we will be able to develop them. There are a number of levers available under the RESS to prevent any one technology from dominating the whole pie, as it were. There is capacity for making sure that while it is technology-neutral, one technology does not scoop the pool.