Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It provides for the growth of electricity production for microgenerators through a supplier obligation to provide a tariff for electricity exported to the grid. In layman's terms, that will mean that this Bill will allow for householders to produce renewable energy from solar panels or wind turbines on their own homes or land. Energy providers will be obliged to buy the electricity produced by residential homes and small businesses under the proposed initiatives. The incentives for renewable energy production will mean that suppliers will have to provide a feeding tariff to microgenerators who supply to the electricity grid. A feeding tariff is where a minimum price is established for electricity produced and sold to a supplier. Under the new rules, energy providers such as the ESB would have to establish a scheme that would allow people to sell the company their excess electricity.

In the Citizens' Assembly on climate change, 99% of members recommended that the State should enable the selling back into the grid of electricity from microgeneration by private citizens at a price which is at least equivalent to the wholesale price. I support the recommendations. We need to look at ways of tackling climate change and of making energy more affordable for people. Many of my constituents have contacted me to state that the energy White Paper says citizens and communities should play a central role, yet in practice, my constituents feel they cannot participate in the system of energy generation at any scale. It is not fair that at the moment, a small-scale generator must put his or her excess power on the grid and get nothing for it. We need a system that supports renewable energy at all levels. With a payment for microgeneration, Irish communities could develop their own local power plants right from the roof of the local school to a community hall or farm shed and become active participants in the energy transformation that we so desperately need. I welcome this Bill as this scheme would reduce Ireland's reliance on fossil fuels. The country needs to do this to meet EU-imposed targets and avoid hefty fines. It is an opportunity for more job creation through the installation of these microgenerators.

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